Are Brassard and Bowers still pretty much the same? Meltzer still a bit more expensive?

LIT, who finds out tomorrow or Monday if she gets her loan

Brassard was $16,000 last August "all inclusive", i.e. limo pick-up and drop-off at airport or station, pre hospital check-in evening and following day in Chantal's beautiful B&B, (with two lovely evening dinners), all costs covering the four days hospital and six days nursing clinic, and a set of five dilators.

Think Marci is charging $17,500.

Don't know how much Meltzer's two stages cost these days, but I think its rather more (like $22,000 ?) ....

Really don't think the cost should be a deciding factor between the three .... if you want "cheap" then Thailand is the place to go .... and if you are happy with travelling the distance, and usually fending for yourself in a hotel rather than a clinic with round the clock medical care, then there are surgeons who are reputedly just as good as the US / Canadian trio ....

Laura x

How about this? I consider all three to be really top notch and would go see any one of them in a heartbeat, if money were no object.

However, in the real world money does matter and is therefore a part of the equation. Right now Bowers is ahead because she is a great surgeon (IMHO), falls within what will hopefully be my price range, and is located within the US. I am not exactly sure I will be able to cross any borders so staying within the US is the best way to go but I could never just dismiss Brassard off the cuff. If there was a significant difference in price between he and Bowers then I would make inquiries on my ability to travel to foreign countries.

Marci is $18,500 next year. I expect Brassard will be almost the same. I had not realised that Meltzer might have priced himself so far beyond the others.

I got a recent (last month) quote for SRS from Dr. Brassard and he is currently $17,000 USD.  I have to check with the State of Illinios to make sure I won't have any problems getting my birth certificate changed if I go to a surgeon in Canada.

Otherwise I would also go with Dr. Bowers.

I emailed them a month ago:

From Bowers: Dr. Bowers is currently scheduling surgery into early 2008. The fee for surgery in 2008 will be $18,000.

From Brassard: The total for the surgery, anesthesia, hospitalization, transportation to and from the airport and residence is  17 000$ u.s.

~Kate~

LIT, why is crossing borders a problem ?

IMHO if money is an issue, you can't go wrong with Chettawut or Sanguan (curious to know how much they charge nowdays).

I chose Brassard over our local UK surgeons as I had real faith in his abilities and he gave me really good "vibes" whenever we spoke over the phone (sorry, but I'm just a sucker for that gorgeous french accent, and the calm re-assurance of his words). 

He was my number one choice, and I went with my "intuition", luckily price was not a worry for me, but the whole package (inc. flights and five nights in a Montreal downtown hotel so as to do a bit of sightseeing and to let DVT related travel risks subside) cost less than it would have in the UK, where our surgeons were charging $18,000, now gone up to $20,000.

If I'd chosen the cheapest rather than my first choice for the sake of a few $k and it had given me a dissapointing result I would never have forgiven myself.

But you seem really happy with Marci, so I'd go for her ....

Laura x

Posted on: July 05, 2007, 03:39:06 PM

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Quote from: Gabrielle on July 05, 2007, 03:20:40 PM
I got a recent (last month) quote for SRS from Dr. Brassard and he is currently $17,000 USD.  I have to check with the State of Illinios to make sure I won't have any problems getting my birth certificate changed if I go to a surgeon in Canada.

I believe that Dr Brassard has been accepted on the "licensed list" of US surgeons which satisfies all states who allow birth certificate change.

Laura x

Quote from: regina on July 05, 2007, 04:04:00 PM
Another factor in terms of cost and scheduling is hair removal. Meltzer requires genital hair removal with electrolysis (which is, at least, 10 mos.). Bowers wants you to do laser, perhaps augmented with electrolysis (6 mos. minimum) and Brassard prefers you not do any hair removal.

18 months down the line from laser sessions on various parts of my body (typically 6 sessions over a year) and a bit more than just the "odd hair" is beggining to sprout ... nothing serious which a skim with a razor can't remedy ... but laser is far from 100% and the clinicians were honest in saying that an annual maintenance zap would be likely ... difficult to do six inches into your vagina !

Also factor in the cost of hair removal (including travel, lost time at work) ... $1000 ?

Most Thai surgeons "follicle strip" as does Brassard, and keeping fingers crossed no signs of hair at a year post-op.

Laura x

dr. bowers is completely booked until march or april  2008 if i recall correctly.  my surgery cost me (because i already paid for it) $17,650.  it's programmed for august, yet i scheduled it last november.

I go do the paperwork today. If it goes through then I am going to request to be put on the "first available date" list. I know one gal who had her's a month after getting the money together that way and I believe that was with Bowers although a number of them went to Brassard.

Laura, I have stated on other posts that I have had a rather interesting life and that there is a price to pay for that, and the fact that I have not broken the law has no weight. Dealing with the current security situation in the US is kind of like dealing with a psychotic schizophrenic who really wants to bash your head in with a wrench.

Last I checked Chettawut (who I did look into last year) is at $7,000 for SRS with a scrotal skin graft, $8600 if you require additional grafting work. His results continue to improve, a few years ago I never would have considered him because I was not that impressed with his work. After seeing some recent results though, cosmetically his work looks fine. And yes with his prices the way they are, it is tempting just for the $$$ but if there's a chance of seeing Bowers or Brassard then I will do all I can to go that route. Of course being able to travel is a major concern. Oh and air fare is around $1100 for a round trip ticket. Plus I would want to stay a bit longer there so that I will be as comfortable as possible for my trip home so about $600 for a few weeks.


So far we have:

Brassard             $17,000 USD for this year
Bowers                17,500 this year, $18,500 next year (per her site, I love that she posts the prices)
Chettawut             7,000 or 8,600
Meltzer                Not known for sure but suspected in the $20K range

I have no need for a trach shave or breast implants so at least the surgery side of things will be minimal for me. I MIGHT go for some FFS although everyone has told me I do not need to do so (except for the surgeons, wow did they give me a list).

I visited a friend in the hospital last night who just had her srs 2 days ago by Dr. Meltzer, and said that his current price was approximately $25,000.00.   If money were no object, Dr. Meltzer would be convinient, as I live in Arizona.  Personally, I am most likely going to see Dr. Chettawutt, myself, once I scrape together airfare and money for the hotel and expenses.  Admittedly, money is an issue for me, but I also have heard a lot of good things about Dr. Chett from another friend of mine, who goes by the online name Kathygnome.  She has a website up about her experience there at http://www.kathygnome.com  The only thing I will miss is being able to have my good friends in AZ visit me in the hospital.  Although they did say they'd give me a "welcome back" party.    Of course, I have to leave first...  (Ok, I got a bit off-topic there...)

Quote from: LostInTime on July 06, 2007, 08:59:03 AM
Dealing with the current security situation in the US is kind of like dealing with a psychotic schizophrenic who really wants to bash your head in with a wrench.

Just to point out that I had hassle with Canadian immigration on arrival at Montreal airport, despite being "innocent looking" and having a UK passport in correct name and gender ....

The (nice) immigration officer explained to me the way it works.

You initially go through passport control where the official at the window has just 2 minutes to either let you straight through or send you to be "screened" by immigration if anything arouses concern. 

Like 10 - 20 % of the plane's passengers I was consigned to the "immigration queue" which took for ever  , well over an hour, as certain people seemed to be being interrogated at real length, even phone calls being made to check their stories !

My reason for not being let through ... well the breaking terrorist threat about "liquids as explosive" had shut London Heathrow almost completely down for the weekend (it was chaos), cancelled virtually all America bound flights, and to get to Canada in time for surgery I bought a single Air France fare from Paris, and reached Paris in a last minute mad rush by "eurotunnel" train.  So I turned up at Montreal with a "one-way" ticket in hand. 

Also I could name no hotel I was staying at, but said truthfully that I was arriving for "medical treatment". 

And guess my worst "crime" of all was when the woman official asked if I was "importing foodstuffs" - I joked that I'd kept my pre-landing sandwich and cookie to eat later that evening if that counted ?  "Of course it did, why hadn't I declared it on the form I'd been given"  (!), "what was in the sandwich ?" - "cheese" ... "was that all ?" - this in disbelief ? .... My sandwich wasn't confiscated, and I never though an innocent sandwich constituted imported foodstuff .... but a warning to others not to be good humoured with the passport officers, and have return flight ticket to hand, and just say you are arriving for a holiday and have hotel name or Chantal's B&B details to hand.

Brassard gives you a "get out of jail" letter that declares that you have fully paid for surgery, the hospital details and date(s), confirmation that all Canadian taxes have been paid, that no way are you imposing on the Canadian healthcare system, etc.  This letter got me through immigration like a dream, the immigration officer asked me what the surgery was and I said that it was of a "private nature".  He smiled and wished me the best of luck, guess the letter is a giveaway  ?

Laura x

Dr. Bower's fees are $18,500 for 2008
Dr. Meltzer's fees are close to $21,000 for the same year.
Dr. Meltzer's fees for a labiaplasty (second stage  SRS) are $5,500 for 2008

These fees don't include skin grafts or complications that may arise during the procedure.  Most women, including myself, are very satisfied with the first stage operation that Dr. Meltzer performs and don't consider a labiaplasty to be necessary.

tink

Of course there seems to be a SNAFU with the credit report, waiting to hear back now. It appears that one of the reporting credit cards might be reporting my total twice, as two different accounts.     I am so glad that I no longer use credit cards and will not ever do so again once this is all said and done.

If it were not for the bad luck....

I am soooooooooo glad I choose Kunaporn, for 15k, I got SRS, BA and a wonderful vacation in the most beautiful place I have ever been (Phuket, Thailand) After reading some post-op experiences from girls who have chosen Bowers, Menard and others, I am really starting to believe I got a real bargain and maybe the best regardless of price.

Quote from: melissa90299 on August 05, 2007, 01:27:04 PM
I am soooooooooo glad I choose Kunaporn, for 15k, I got SRS, BA and a wonderful vacation in the most beautiful place I have ever been (Phuket, Thailand) After reading some post-op experiences from girls who have chosen Bowers, Menard and others, I am really starting to believe I got a real bargain and maybe the best regardless of price.

that's very inexpensive.  i'm glad everything's the way you expected it to be my grs on the 29th of this month with dr. bowers. if i wanted to get a ba, i'd have to spend an extra 4k.  don't think i need it, yet it's something i may consider in the future.

Just to clarify, Dr Kunaporn's SRS fee is 9k.

I could get a damned good car with $18,000.

Quote from: DeanO on August 09, 2007, 11:54:29 PM
I could get a damned good car with $18,000.

Yeah, can you imagine what you could get with $24,000?; that was what I paid for my SRS and BA with Dr. Meltzer, but then again what would a brand new car have done (in my case) if I hadn't been alive to enjoy it? 

tink

Does anyone know what the going rate for SRS with Suporn is?

I paid U$15,000 for my GRS in 2005.  Dr. Bowers was my surgeon.  I'm German and could have gone to the UK or Belgium for my surgery but chose Dr. Bowers after careful consideration.