I was curious if anyone here has been to Dr. Meltzer or may know someone who has used him. We are moving to the Tempe, AZ area in summer of 2011 and so I figured I'd scout the area for possible doctors and surgeons to see what was around. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Dr. Meltzer would be so close to us! (Keep in mind I live in Nebraska, there is nothing near us right now haha)
I just wanted to see if anyone else had experience with him and his office to get a feel for what to expect. From the website they offer pretty much damn near everything. I know that they do everything I need (FTM) but my fiancee would probably prefer some other surgeons for her more major surgeries. Either way it'd be nice to hear from anyone on either side of the fence as it may come in handy anyhow.
Thanks everyone for any info.
Meltzer did my top surgery in July 07. I have nothing but good things to say about him. Both myself and my mom were very comfortable with him.
Alex
Yeah, top surgery is the one thing that I DEFINITELY want to pursue first and I should be able to afford it soon after the move to Arizona in 2011. We planned on visiting my fiancee's family out there and a friend of mine sometime this year so I am going to see if I can set up a meeting with Dr. Meltzer while we are out there.
What type of chest surgery did you do? I am kind of up in the air as I would be a good candidate for keyhole but I am uncertain if it's what I would prefer from the pictures I have seen online from other guys. To me it seems like there is a noticeable difference and they keyhole doesn't look as natural to me, despite the lack of scars. I just recently began even thinking about bottom surgery, I've just been trying NOT to think about honestly, it isn't something I can even look into pursuing for years so why torture myself with the thought you know?
*sigh* 2011 is so long to wait... but I guess considering I've been living as male for 10 years waiting another year and a half isn't really that big of a deal.
Quote from: Tasha Elizabeth on January 21, 2010, 11:25:18 PM
i was born and lived about 20 some years in nebraska...was just back this weekend.
it was still flat.
My parents have been having a fight about Nebraska being flat for the last 30 years. I'm serious. They bicker about it all of the time because apparently it was the one thing my mother hated about it here (they met in the military so even though his home was here she had never even seen Nebraska). He thinks it's absurd because she is from Florida, which is equally flat according to him. I'm 25 and I hear about this at least once a year, they apparently were never able to let this ONE thing go. Silly parents.
Quote from: Cowboi on January 21, 2010, 10:48:34 PM
Yeah, top surgery is the one thing that I DEFINITELY want to pursue first and I should be able to afford it soon after the move to Arizona in 2011. We planned on visiting my fiancee's family out there and a friend of mine sometime this year so I am going to see if I can set up a meeting with Dr. Meltzer while we are out there.
What type of chest surgery did you do? I am kind of up in the air as I would be a good candidate for keyhole but I am uncertain if it's what I would prefer from the pictures I have seen online from other guys. To me it seems like there is a noticeable difference and they keyhole doesn't look as natural to me, despite the lack of scars. I just recently began even thinking about bottom surgery, I've just been trying NOT to think about honestly, it isn't something I can even look into pursuing for years so why torture myself with the thought you know?
*sigh* 2011 is so long to wait... but I guess considering I've been living as male for 10 years waiting another year and a half isn't really that big of a deal.
I had the double incision procedure. Meltzer removed almost 10 lbs of stuff. Had no idea I was that big. The office staff is very nice and helpful. One of the secretaries visited me in the hospital to see if either I or my mom needed anything. We were from way out of town. I really wanted root beer barrals to suck on cuz my throat was sore from the intubation. She ended up bringing me the fancy root beer lollipops from See's candies. That was a real treat for me. Above and beyond what I was expecting.
Alex
Love to hear any Meltzer opinions on MTF 2 stage SRS
Quote from: gentle_patience on April 15, 2010, 09:42:00 PM
Love to hear any Meltzer opinions on MTF 2 stage SRS
I would too. From the photos I have seen I honestly prefer Meltzer's work over several of the more famous surgeons, including Bowers. Even though I'm obviously planning to see him for FTM SRS, my fiancee is hoping to go there for her MTF SRS as well so we've been looking into what results we can find online. I find it's somewhat easier for us to do together, especially since combined we both have a pretty damn accurate idea of what male and female bodies look like lol.
I personally felt that Meltzer's results seem more realistic and less sloppy with his MTF bottom surgeries. There don't seem to be as many of the details that are off. However when I've read some commentary on the photos of his work and even other surgeons I see a lot of MTFs complaining that they need to go back to fix certain aspects afterwards, and sometimes I just don't see the issue or even find that I felt it looked better in before pictures once they have gone back for alterations. So I'd say that maybe my opinion is skewed or off... then again being FTM I'd personally think that I would have a better idea of the whole idea of realism in that region, just as I suspect that MTF people could probably tell me a heck of a lot more about how realistic my surgery ends up! :)
I wish I could remember an example of some of the specific kinds of comments I saw that shocked me. I remember even sitting here with my fiancee I found myself showing her how some of the things she thought were flaws actually seemed more realistic. Maybe she will remember more about our conversation, this has been months ago though, about the time I first started this thread.
Hi Cowboi !
Yes I would love to pool our resources. We all need to work together for sure !
I have refined it down to Meltzer and Suporn after looking into it for a few years. for MT / SRS ( Yeah... I know... Way too long to wait).
Anyway, your opinion would be very valuable and I would be more than happy
to help you if I can too. (if you find any FTM result pix or links you want me to look at )
There are a lot of post on this site that are active that have various opinions too. You have probably done some searches already though. What area do you live in ?
Does it matter to you if you or your fiancee go out of the county for surgery ?
Right now we are in Nebraska (Omaha) but we are relocating to Phoenix next summer in 2011, that's actually how I stumbled upon Meltzer. I was poking around looking at the local therapists and doctors in the area down there.
I've found that a lot of the comments I see from MTF people about what they like or dislike about certain surgery photos tend to be really skewed opinions. I don't really talk to a lot of FTM guys about it yet since I just decided recently that it was a step I want to take, since I know it will be a few years down the road I've been putting off learning more lol. However my fiancee takes an amazing interest in everything under the moon regarding being transsexual so I end up seeing a lot of the stuff for MTF people because she is studying it or looking into it and well, I just tend to be around her lol.
I do know I've seen some surgery pictures since her and I have been together where even her comments on what she thought looked good or bad shocked me. To find someone with as much knowledge as she has who still thinks that certain aspects are more important than others astounds me sometimes. And it broke my heart when we saw some of the pictures where women went back in for surgery corrections for something that really was not an issue at all and looked very real... especially when afterwards it seemed to look more "fake" than it did before the corrections. To spend so much time wanting something so badly, then finally be able to afford it and feel unhappy over things that really are not a big deal to those of us who have that part naturally... well the whole thing just kind of makes your heart hurt you know? I guess it's like that saying, pulls at the heart strings. I could physically feel that when I saw some of these women and the disappointment they felt or the shame when their surgeries turned out so well and natural looking.
Are there any particular websites you use to see surgery photos? We could totally start some commentary through private messages. We are allowed to send private messages with links right? If not we could do email. :)
I am kind of new but I think we can send pivate messages with links. Like you said, if not we could do email. I will find some of the links and pass them on when I get some from the two Doctors I am looking into, (Meltzer and Suporn). Feel free to do the same whenever you are ready -Even if it is after you move. Take care
"Patience, Patience, lol I see you everywhere haha!"
Hehehehe... Well the way I see it. I can gather information now and it will make a difference but later, after the fact ... Uh - not so much. ;-)
I know I am on the right track with these two docs tho. I have a tentative appointment scheduled with both but down to the final decision as to who does what. (meaning GRS, BA, and minor FFS revisions etc). * Meltzer will be the FFS choice without a doubt.
I see your issues with Meltzer and staff and that scares me but so does some of the info on Suporn. On the other hand, I hear rave reviews about them both. It is perplexing but I guess I am in the place to "sleep on it" for a few days or a week or two. I rely a lot on my intuition but it is not always clear and I read it wrong at times so I guess I don't fully trust it. I do trust that the answer will come to me. It is just not here yet.
Well, Dr. Meltzer did all my soft tissue (rinoplasty, eyes canthopexy, upper eyelid (very good at this), Malar cheek implants, and last was the lower facelift, which i am liking). For face, i would look no further. IMO he is the best in FFS. When i go to the gym, i get more looks than most natal women and not one woman has ever second looked me inside the locker room or out. He even took alittle more bone down (you know the part near the upper chin that makes the jawline squarish?). I had just alittle bump on one side, but it imo was in my mind making me still make ppl take a second look, but now i dont have that MTF jawline AT ALL. No one would ever give a seconf notice to my jawline, and imo that is what i notice most on alot of MTF. He did it even tho he really didnt want to, because the bump was near the nerve that functions that side of the mouth and one nick would have ruined me, but he did it on my demand, lol! I told him "Common..you can do it...Lets go for it" and so he did. He will even give you that little uplift fo the lip to get the Michelle Phifer kook. One thing, you will not get the dept that you would from Suporn nor as sensate, but im not totally un-sensate, and i think perhaps all the elation will subside from the TG now getting the SRS, as im sure it will not last long term. Most natal women do not even have this sensate of a clitoral and vaginal area. I think perhaps too alot of my issues have to do with me having a small pelvic area and not much to work with..so i dont totally blame him. I do tho about the lipo. That is why im seeking a consult with Dr. Milkos from Milkos and Moore in AL, Georgia. They are the masters of vaginal reconstruction and gynecological urology. They are soo busy tho...i hope they accept me. I think for face/BA go with Meltzer. SRS give it some more thought...I always heard tho that 2stage always provided a more aesthetically genetic result.
Quote from: Michelle Hayden on April 21, 2010, 11:09:13 PM
Well, Dr. Meltzer did all my soft tissue (rinoplasty, eyes canthopexy, upper eyelid (very good at this), Malar cheek implants, and last was the lower facelift, which i am liking). For face, i would look no further. IMO he is the best in FFS. When i go to the gym, i get more looks than most natal women and not one woman has ever second looked me inside the locker room or out. He even took alittle more bone down (you know the part near the upper chin that makes the jawline squarish?). I had just alittle bump on one side, but it imo was in my mind making me still make ppl take a second look, but now i dont have that MTF jawline AT ALL. No one would ever give a seconf notice to my jawline, and imo that is what i notice most on alot of MTF. He did it even tho he really didnt want to, because the bump was near the nerve that functions that side of the mouth and one nick would have ruined me, but he did it on my demand, lol! I told him "Common..you can do it...Lets go for it" and so he did. He will even give you that little uplift fo the lip to get the Michelle Phifer kook. One thing, you will not get the dept that you would from Suporn nor as sensate, but im not totally un-sensate, and i think perhaps all the elation will subside from the TG now getting the SRS, as im sure it will not last long term. Most natal women do not even have this sensate of a clitoral and vaginal area. I think perhaps too alot of my issues have to do with me having a small pelvic area and not much to work with..so i dont totally blame him. I do tho about the lipo. That is why im seeking a consult with Dr. Milkos from Milkos and Moore in AL, Georgia. They are the masters of vaginal reconstruction and gynecological urology. They are soo busy tho...i hope they accept me. I think for face/BA go with Meltzer. SRS give it some more thought...I always heard tho that 2stage always provided a more aesthetically genetic result.
I couldn't find any info on how much does he charge for FFS? I don't want a lot done, Maybe like my nose.
I only had tip rinoplastiy with him, which included the nasal flares. He did a more than fantastic job. I can think of NO other dr i would want to work on my face, and I am a VERY picky person. You will be very happy. You will find, cheaper is not always better, especially if you have to find another dr to do a revision because you arent happy. Nose usually runs around 6k, but it all depends on how much work you need. Everyone tells me how nice my nose looks, but it isnt like its because it is radically different. They say if ppl can tell you had plastic, then it isnt a good job. Imo, Dr. Meltzer is the best in FFS, especially soft tissue. He is also very good with eye work and facelift, which many get done after 6 months post bone work, because of all the bone loss, most will end up with loose skin, especially under the chin and neck areas.
Michelle I do have to say that in your pic there the work really must have paid off! I obviously don't know what you looked like before but you are right about the point that none of the little things that sometimes give away MTFs are there. Obviously I spend a lot of time looking at my fiancee (wouldn't it be odd if I didn't? lol) and the only things I ever really pick up on in her face are things about the jawline, so that is actually a good thing to know about Meltzer for us. :)
On another note, your picture really reminds me of an actress but now I just can't put my finger on her name! I hate it when you actually want to talk about a celebrity and all of a sudden you can't remember their names or movies they've been in lol. I can remember her looks and her voice perfectly, but nothing that would be identifiable to anyone else online. I will have to look into that and get back to you!
Post Merge: April 26, 2010, 01:54:16 PM
Beth Broderick is the actress. Oddly enough I was showing pictures of her to my fiancee while I was pulling this up to post right now, she saw that I was coming to Susans and immediately said that a woman on here looks like Beth Broderick. She apparently thought the exact same thing at some point when she saw your picture.
I'm glad to see this thread established, as I just put my deposit down the other day to have SRS and BA with Dr. Meltzer on Oct. 26th of this year. I could have booked it sooner, but I'm starting a new career next week, plus, there's no way I can take the heat of AZ in the summer. Neither can my friend who's going to be there for one of the weeks, LOL, she said "Not in the summer!".
Quote from: Cowboi on April 25, 2010, 08:31:00 PM
Michelle I do have to say that in your pic there the work really must have paid off! I obviously don't know what you looked like before but you are right about the point that none of the little things that sometimes give away MTFs are there. Obviously I spend a lot of time looking at my fiancee (wouldn't it be odd if I didn't? lol) and the only things I ever really pick up on in her face are things about the jawline, so that is actually a good thing to know about Meltzer for us. :)
On another note, your picture really reminds me of an actress but now I just can't put my finger on her name! I hate it when you actually want to talk about a celebrity and all of a sudden you can't remember their names or movies they've been in lol. I can remember her looks and her voice perfectly, but nothing that would be identifiable to anyone else online. I will have to look into that and get back to you!
Post Merge: April 26, 2010, 11:54:16 AM
Beth Broderick is the actress. Oddly enough I was showing pictures of her to my fiancee while I was pulling this up to post right now, she saw that I was coming to Susans and immediately said that a woman on here looks like Beth Broderick. She apparently thought the exact same thing at some point when she saw your picture.
Thanks! I take that as a compliment, but it is not all Dr. Metzer's ideas. I pushed him to the limit. I mean there were some things he didnt feel comfortable about doing, but i pushed and he did it. I did ALOT of research and studying women's faces and as you say, it is usually the jawline that shows the most. I had two little bumps on either side of my chin at the end of the jawline, and to me it was the only thing left that looked male-ish, but no one thought it was anything. I had to actually press him to do it, because the bumps were right next to the nerve that controls the sides of the mouth and one wrong move would have meant a lopsided mouth. I told him to be careful, as he was also doing the lower facelift because of the bone displacement, i had loose skin. He had to use a rasper to bring the bumps down and go thru my inner gum line to get to it, but he did it and now absolutely no squared edges to my jawline. It is one smooth line which was my objective. I am extremely picky, but i paid alot for everything i had done, so i wanted everything to fit. I still have a couple issues, but my face is done. I also practiced for long periods to get my voice exactly like a females, which i notice alot of MTF do not work on. It is weird how ppl will spend alot of $ to look really good, then have this male voice. I dont understand it.
Quote from: Michelle Hayden on April 28, 2010, 08:35:51 PM
I also practiced for long periods to get my voice exactly like a females, which i notice alot of MTF do not work on. It is weird how ppl will spend alot of $ to look really good, then have this male voice. I dont understand it.
lol, so true! Bianca complains about her voice all of the time saying she needs to work harder at it. I always think to myself, "Harder? In a year and a half I've only seen you work on it like one time." I try not to say it but every now and then it does come out before I stop myself. At the same time it's mean I do feel she needs to have this pointed out. If her voice truly bothers her so much she needs to know she isn't really doing anything to alter it and not be allowed to pretend that all of the options available just don't work.
To clarify a bit, I don't just act this way about her voice or issues involving being trans, it's just kind of my personality to begin with. I believe in taking steps to change the things you can in life, especially if they truly displease you or hurt the people around you that you share your life with. Assuming that if it's change for the sake of other's it is something reasonable, truly hurtful or small things that are just a matter of being considerate of others. I would never expect someone to change something that is acceptable and that they are happy with just due to another person's opinion.
Post Merge: April 29, 2010, 02:20:11 AM
Quote from: NikkiJ on April 28, 2010, 10:18:46 AM
I'm glad to see this thread established, as I just put my deposit down the other day to have SRS and BA with Dr. Meltzer on Oct. 26th of this year. I could have booked it sooner, but I'm starting a new career next week, plus, there's no way I can take the heat of AZ in the summer. Neither can my friend who's going to be there for one of the weeks, LOL, she said "Not in the summer!".
The summer in AZ really isn't that bad. I personally hate hot weather, can't stand it at all. I not only sweat an insane amount (especially since starting T two years ago) but I'm one of those people who being to hot just turns my stomach and makes me feel ill. However AZ doesn't have humid heat which helps a lot for me personally. Then again, I live in Nebraska right now and have since I was about 12 years old... not a lot can compare to our crazy weather here. In about another month I won't be able to leave my house without my clothes just sticking to me within 20 minutes.
It's good of you to have taken it all into consideration when planning though. It surprises me how many people overlook these kinds of detail. You will have to be there for awhile so you may as well make sure you'll be comfortable, especially during recovery from these types of extreme surgeries. And it was nice to consider how your friend felt too!
Quote from: Cowboi on April 29, 2010, 02:15:58 AM
lol, so true! Bianca complains about her voice all of the time saying she needs to work harder at it. I always think to myself, "Harder? In a year and a half I've only seen you work on it like one time." I try not to say it but every now and then it does come out before I stop myself. At the same time it's mean I do feel she needs to have this pointed out. If her voice truly bothers her so much she needs to know she isn't really doing anything to alter it and not be allowed to pretend that all of the options available just don't work.
To clarify a bit, I don't just act this way about her voice or issues involving being trans, it's just kind of my personality to begin with. I believe in taking steps to change the things you can in life, especially if they truly displease you or hurt the people around you that you share your life with. Assuming that if it's change for the sake of other's it is something reasonable, truly hurtful or small things that are just a matter of being considerate of others. I would never expect someone to change something that is acceptable and that they are happy with just due to another person's opinion.
Post Merge: April 29, 2010, 12:20:11 AM
I bought a digital recorder. It doesnt have all the gadgets, only record and playback. Its smaller than the size of a credit card. I carry it in my purse all the time, or in the bedroom. I would go over and over it, hear my voice played back and making it sound more and more fem, fixing and replaying. I still use it. Its the best and fastest way imo. These videos will help alittle, but you have to really hear how your own voice is developing.
Quote from: Cowboi on April 29, 2010, 02:15:58 AM
It's good of you to have taken it all into consideration when planning though. It surprises me how many people overlook these kinds of detail. You will have to be there for awhile so you may as well make sure you'll be comfortable, especially during recovery from these types of extreme surgeries. And it was nice to consider how your friend felt too!
Thanks Cowboi! I'm fortunate in that my ex will be with me the first week, and my friend the second week. I have been to Phoenix once before, I think in September, and I remember drying my hair by simply going out on the balcony of the hotel room for a few minutes... It is better than the sodden, humid mess that is summer (and, almost every season) here in DC.
Quote from: Michelle Hayden on April 30, 2010, 10:53:18 AM
Personally i am having issues with his main nurse not getting back with me. They have a post op nurse based in Oregon that will call you about every 3wks to check up on you. That is about the extent of their aftercare. When you have an issue is when there seems to be no one of much use there.
Well at least when we go to him we will actually live in the area since we are moving to Tempe, which would put us about half an hour from his office. So if they try to ignore me I'll just go in person lol. I can be pushy about things when necessary.
Also I was curious about the digital recorder you have. Do you know the brand/model of it? It sounds like the size makes it so easy to carry around with you, something like that would definitely help her. She also is a musician and posting on here before she was able to find a program that actually helps identify the sound by music note or something like that. For her it was a huge find since that kind of thing makes more sense to her. She has trouble telling what range her own voice is in and always questions rather or not what she is practicing is even in the correct range for a woman. I think that is something that would be helpful to a lot of people who have that kind of thought process.
She is a little different when it comes to the way she thinks, she's basically high functioning AS (she was never officially diagnosed but it's something the doctors speculated when she was younger and just never took the time to test for it) so her thought process is different than most people anyhow. Think of the character Brennan from the show Bones and you'd have a good idea of what Bianca is like. Very highly intelligent but with social problems that surround the ideas of emotions and how they are displayed. It's a hard thing to really explain (as far as the way it changes thought process and how they learn) but the character comparison is VERY accurate, lol.
The more I watch that tv show the more it just amazes me how true it is, the creator has actually come out in interviews stating that Brennan's character is based on someone he knows in real life who has AS. He said they weren't comfortable coming out and saying the character has it though because of the social stigma and the concern it could limit the number of viewers they'd reach. Sad to think that something like that would cause less viewers but it does seem to be true. Maybe now that it's becoming a more talked about illness that might change. I think it'd be interesting to have such a main stream show deal with the issue, and to have a character so many people respect have to "deal" with the news of a diagnosis.
Wow, I would expect much better care from them as well. With everything you've gotten done there and the amount of money these things typically cost (which you obviously have gone over the typical cost anyhow!) they should be much better at working with you. I too would consider it something where they should offer some kind of assistance if not completely cover the extra costs like the hospital and travel.
I emailed them about a month ago to even just ask questions about their pricing and inquire about setting up appointments to meet them when we visit this fall but also have not heard anything back. At least when they ignore me they aren't ignoring an actual patient of theirs.
Bones actually comes on tonight (Thursdays) with a new episode at 8 est I think. I know it's 7 central time. They also have some episodes up on the fox website and I know that Hulu has at least 5 new episodes and right now have been airing parts of the first season as well, I think 5 of those episodes at a time too. So it should be something easy to find :)
Quote from: Michelle Hayden on July 03, 2010, 01:31:44 AM
Update: Still having issues dilating. Taking at least 30 minutes just to get it up and very sore/irritated inside. I have used Premarin and Triamcinolone cream. Both do not seem to be helping. I will be 10 months post op July 7th..His nurse..i wont mention names got very rude with me when she was supposed to call me back with word from Dr. Meltzer as to what to do. I told her earlier that wk that i had to stop the Triamcinolone cream, as it was making things more irritatated and she threw it up in my face like i did somethig against dr's orders, but it had been a wk and 1/2 and same old story with the very bad irritation/soreness and hard time with dilation. They said my skin was too thin for Y-plasty and not ready yet..needed to wait at least a yr. and that grafting was my only option at this point. I am depressed and disgusted with the $ I paid him..i hear of no one having this issue with Dr. Suporn or others. When i asked the nurses if they had any other patient that ever had this prob and they were hesitant but the main nurse said they had one incident that took 18 months b4 it resolved itself. I wish i had gone to another dr. :( I have worked very hard to get where im at and aesthetically it doesnt look that good either..and i have talked to several ppl on this an showed them. It is like the second stage wasnt performed..very little labia..look like a 10yr olds.
Wow, I am very sorry for your problems with Dr. Meltzer. I've been pretty happy with the results initially but am still not very sensate. I got my Labiaplasty three months after the Vagioplasty and think that the labia is not very defined. I'm thinking about getting it revised, but finances are really tight right now. Linda at his office never follows up with me either. I am curious to see what your results are like.
I suspect all the techniques in reality are fairly similar..... (just my view)....but there hasn't been that many amazing advances in options for the last twenty years or so....
Most use penile skin inversions, some glans nerve endings....and that's it more or less.
Then it's mainly a case of 1stage inversion, or two stages with supposedly better aesthetics, but I dare say that's debatable too.... or if one doesn't have enough material a colon graft.....?
I've seen evidence of good, bad, and plain ugly....and heard on the grapevine tales of joy and woe regarding every single surgeon going....
(This is because personal expectation vary widely too).... some settle quite happily to be just rid of the old member, where as those choosing to live in stealth and resume hetero style relationships – will be seeking a fool most men, most of the time result.
But the horrible truth is there is no absolute perfect choice, best results option.... and no surgeon no matter how expensive or supposedly top of their game they be - will ever give you a 100% guarantee on the outcome - they simply can't as everyone body is unique in the way they heal....and how graft take....if you're a smoker it gets even worse....
This is why they get you to sign-off on a consent form as it shifts the responsibility for outcome back onto you.....(unless they do something grossly negligent).... so a lot of it will come down to luck, age, weight, how fit & healthy you be.. and your healing metabolism... and what type of diet you eat.
These are just some of the variables...
I'm just back from Scottsdale in fact and would add two things to this thread, one the aftercare immediately post surgery in the Greenbaum is first rate....
But once you're back in the hotel you are own your own, apart from the telephone.
This is why I took the other option of using a private nurse, via Nip & Tuck Nurses....Michele was brilliant, and would answer a call in minutes any time of the day weekends as well. And on pre booked/agreed morning/nights visits she was always there for me – exactly as scheduled....very reliable.
The Meltzer clinic phone response only works Mon-Thurs, but there's a long gap at lunchtimes.... so often you can only get the emergency contact answering service but that's all....if you're not sure of something.
They will allegedly get some one too you if you're really worried over a complication, but they always prefer you to visit there clinic... and I did go in one Sat morning on the basis that the catheter would finally be removed, but it wasn't...
There remote LPN is just that too in another state.... so that's and end of the phone response also....not much help if say you have heavy bleeding....?
So my advice is if you can budget it in and you would like a real physical presence or support, once out of the hospital.... do contact Nip & Tuck Services.... all the Greenbaum team know them.... and they can take you direct from your Greenbaum room...to yer next recovery place.
Alternatively as the phone message states....your last option to problems is dial 911....lol
Well said Cruella, and techniques have come a long way since that experienced in the early 90s by some of my friends.
Right now, my ex is going to go out with me to Scottsdale, and leave the First Friday after my Tuesday surgeries. I have a friend who is going to fly back to the East Coast with me the following friday, the day after they say they'll release me (they advised I wait a day to fly home, just in case a rare complication arises after release), I do not plan on my friend taking care of me in any other way than moral support and making sure I get on and off the plane.
I will keep Nip&Tuck nurses in mind though. I'm not sure what to expect being on my own when I am released.
Good luck Nikki....
The whole surgery process for me went very smoothly.... the pre-theatre team too at the Greenbaum are uber efficient.....
On the Meltzer staff for me Linda Takata was my preferred choice of nursing help, once post-op..... she's a lovely person.... and I found her very genuine....
(The other more younger glossie blonde's didn't do it for me personally) :-\.....lol
If you need any more info you can PM me personally....
Cheers
Auntie C
OK, I'm almost one week away from SRS with Dr. Meltzer, and I was talking to a girl who had hers last year.
I have decided to come home alone, after spending the night in a hotel following my release from the hospital. I know everyone heals differently, and there can be extenuating circumstances. This person I spoke with gave me the impression I'd be a bit more helpless than I thought I would be, and that has me concerned. I'm hoping to be able to get myself to the airport (via the hotel shuttle), and get on the plane OK.
Anyone have any thoughts based on their own experience post-op? How hard was it to get yourself home after being released? I can always call someone to come out and escort me home, but I really want to avoid the additional expense. This is the reason I booked first class on the way home, to just be able to rest and relax on the way home.
I would say flying back from any OP....allow at least 14 days for most of the tricky stuff to pass over!
And defo I found that using Nip & Tuck as an outsourced service while in Scottsdale was very useful....just for the moral/emotional support....
And I stayed in the Holiday Inn, which was not great for the food in the evenings stakes.... so again someone to help you can be key....
But I'm still on balance pleased with what transpired in AZ, as to the results, well things do steadily seem to be improving...though I have one wound area that's slow to progress nowt to do with the labiaplasty....
Good luck Nicks for next week.... and pass on my regards to Rachel (if/when) you meet her..... and don't mention 'Black'...lol
Thanks for that, Cruella, I'm just going to hope for the best for now. Maybe the Holiday Inn will have a delivery menu, LOL!
As an aside...if yous be in the HI for the duration ma dear....
The mall down the road has a good Albertsons.... (stock up in yer appt fridge) night before you go in for the Op Nicky....
(The Inn shuttle-bus is free... and me and Frances used it extensively)
And the best eatery we found for a walk across the road and back in the evenings was the Olive Garden italian, (Wallgreens next door too)..... the restaurant do an outservice to go... pasta is a great carbo/heal/energy food and they do a meal deal with a salad or a soup! Which we used for lunch next day....
Once more the Greenbaum crew are super-slick and Morgan if you meet him (Nurse) a great guy.... was a star with helping me, and he knows Michelle of Nip/Tuck well...so tell him that dah tall brunette mouthy chick from the UK says 'Hi' and how you doin?
In fact most of the nurses there are rally ab-fab.... and will take great care of you till Toby signs you out...
Will keep all crossed for you....
Well, the plan is, my ex is going with me this Sunday, and will stay until Friday. We'll be in the HI Express Sunday night and Monday night, then just her there the rest of the week before she leaves. She has friends there to visit, and the nice mom of a mutual friend of ours lives there too.
I have a room reserved for myself at the HI Express the night of the 18th, after I'm released, so I'll stay over that evening, then fly out the next morning.
So, I only need to feed myself dinner on the evening of the 18th, I should be able to scrounge up something.
Lindsay will probably call me today for a pre-op call, I know she tried to reach me yesterday, but my phone ran out of juice and I did not have my charger with me. So I'll call her today when she gets in out there in the SouthWest.
Checking my list of stuff to bring....I can't believe my day is almost here! Yay!
Always err on the side of caution....Nicky
While I was in AZ for a month back there in Sept..... I allowed 14 days off both times before going on with a more normal routine.... and I was uber-fit before heading out there... I've never smoked and do minimal alcohol....as it happens.
I also used the HI gym for three hours last nite of grace.....
And I was only there for a second stage op, not the full blown SRS....which I did back in 1992.
Driving a hire car 14 days later (to Sedona and the GC) was extremely uncomfortable.... and as planes see you seated for a fair wee while.... make sure they prescribe you good pain-killers and some valium, in case you need it to sleep the worst of it off....
Take care.... and see you on the other side! Dr Best will no doubt make sure you get the very best out of his special cocktail cabinet....lol
Auntie C
Good advice, and I am happy to receive it Auntie C!!!! :D
Hello Nicks....
Just a quick hello to see if all went well for you in the Greenbaum and you're safely through to the other side?
If so, rest up and heal well!
Hi Auntie Cruella!
If I see Morgan again, I'll tell him you said hi! So, as mentioned on another thread I started...
I had my surgery at 11:45 on Tuesday (well, later than that, Dr. M needed some lunch between operations), and woke up still in the operating room under the big lights with everyone telling me "Nicole, it went really well!" I looked over (all the while taking deep breaths to defog myself) and Dr. M was wiping up and said the same to me, which was very reassuring. They brought me to room 14, and you're right, the staff and the hospital is fantastic. The only patients over this weekend were myself and a young, quiet girl in the next room that received here SRS before me that morning. I still haven't met her, she's cloistered in her room.
Saturday night, I got the nerve to go out and wander, and walked to Old Town Scottsdale, and came upon a Greek Festival, that was fun, and I bought myself a pendant.
Sunday afternoon, I got out (they had removed my drains that morning) and took the free trolley to the Fashion Square Mall, as I needed a new suitcase to replace the one that was rendered unlockable on the way out. I also discovered a great sale on clothes, and bought four new pieces. I was pretty worn out, and took a Lincoln Town Car taxi back to the Hospital, which was worth every penny.
This morning, nurse Tasha came and removed the sutures from my breasts as well as down below, and taught me how to dilate, than had me do it to show that I learned. I've done it a second time today by myself, and have 6 inches of depth. Dr. M told me he was able to avoid doing a skin graft...just barely! I lucked out. I went to the mall again this afternoon as I needed more underwear. The food has been great, and I am cutting down on the amount and eating more salads and soup so as not to be as big as a house!
Tomorrow morning, the catheter will be removed! More Progress!
Hugs,
Nicole
Yep post my labiaplasty.... I was able to rent a car and get up to Sedona and the GC via Flagstaff.... Nicki, after 10 days or so.
And what can one say?.... Awesome geology...but in Sept 43c out on the streets in the superheated air was just too dry arid and hot - so the fashion mall was my walk and get fit zone too.
Rachel for me was a real doll, and we did several lunches and one dinner together - i think she twigged my Brit sense of humour... and my exiting the Greenbaum post my second procedure in the company Volvo... will go down in the annals of Meltzer folklore for sure....
Yep heal well, and hope that the 2nd stage is a stress free event too Nicki.... I'm sure it will be.
And give my best regards to all Dr M's support team.
Cheers
Auntie C
Will do Auntie C!
I'm healing quickly, and word is that Dr. Meltzer may release me one day early!!!! (Today!)
If that turns out to be the case, I'm just going to add an extra day to the hotel stay, and keep my flight home to Friday, to err on the side of caution, being in town in case any unforseen events arise, etc.
Went shopping again yesterday! Sales!!!!! Charge! It!
Best to all,
Nicole
I"m Meltzer's Patient and i had my Labioplasty 8 days ago, and Honestly Looks Great. It's very swollen and very painful. I live out of AZ state and the only bad side i see It's that Labioplasty is more painful the Our first stage SRS and Percocet works very good but i ran out of the second prescription already, I called Meltzer's office and they cannot call in my Pharmacy for percocet, They wanted me to see a local Doctor in my area for a second prescription of Percocet, But also keep in mind that Any doctor has a calendar and we cannot come see a Doctor just like that for a prescription in the mean time pain still there while we wait for our refill. Sensation it's great in the clitoris, i guess everybody it's different. The outcome is very narural and if you decide to get your SRS with Meltzer, definitaly you need a labioplasty, very expepensive but i guess we get for what we pay for!
I have a friend who went to Suporn and she came back so sad from thailand, she is not happy with her outcome, her vulva is not even close to a natal vagina. We compared out vaginas and Honestly i felt so sorry. She is got horrible noticeble scars they will never dissappear.
I'm very thankful i went to Meltzer, he is great and he even knows he is the best.
Percocet didn't work for me.... back in August...
But after having had great success at pain relief with my dental work in May, opted for the US match of Cataflam (diclofenac) a newer NSAID. This did the rick and got the swelling down.
And I would agree that it twas much more difficult a procedure than I was expecting.... I had to live with a catheter for a long time after....
However now some months in the results are good for sure.... and no I have no bad scarring... at all! And I would agree that it twas much more difficult a procedure than I was expecting.... I had to live with a catheter for a long time after.... longer than my original op 18 years ago!
However now some months after the results are good for sure.... and no I have no bad scarring... at all!
His inner lip definitions and urethral deep plant also make you much more natal chick like.... which is why any of us would opt for him.... if you can stump-up the $ bucks... and stand the summer heat of AZ if yous not be local....lol
Glad you're a happy bunny.... take care and happy healing!
I'm planning to go back to Scottsdale for the 2nd stage next fall.
The Percoset worked in the hosp, but I stopped taking it after the morning of the 2nd day after surgery. I've taken it a couple times here at home, but after the first dose, it just keeps me from sleeping if I take it at night. And I don't like to be too out of it anyway.
I wish I had the Ambien they gave me in the hospital to sleep. It's not addictive and it works for me.
I'm healing at home, taking it easy, recognizing my limits and of course, performing the aftercare.
Very glad I went to Dr. Meltzer.