I wanted to share my Dr. Chettawut experience with the rest of the forum, because my first one got removed by the forum staff - and I have to say they justifiably did so.

I posted while I was in a deep valley - which was not a smart thing to do - yet maybe there is something to be learned from my experiences as you read on.

My post seemed to suggest that Dr. Chettawut isn't capable of good SRS work - which is surely and truly not the case.
Yet there are some elements that could use improvement from my perspective and from my experiences with my SRS with Dr. Chettawut

Dr. Chettawut is a great surgeon. He promised me he would give his best and I truly believe that he did so.

I consider all SRS surgeons with world reputation artists. Just like painters all of them have their own style and their own idea of what the SRS result should be like and how they go about it. It is their mechanical skill combined with their artistry and their idea and sense of beauty and style that creates THEIR SRS results.

I had actually decided on Dr. Suporn (apart from Dr. Chettawut and Dr. Sanguan).
When there was no surgery date available for the time window I had available for surgery I asked Dr. Chettawuts place and they had a short term cancellation - so a slot opened up for me.
I expected Dr. Chettawuts surgery technique to be quite similar - based on the fact that he also uses a full graft technique. Also I read quite a number of favorable comments on the internet in different forums.

So luckily I got a surgery date and underwent SRS on August 1st 2014.

Consultation was quick and brief. I should have noted some questions beforehand because after consultation it is hard to contact him and get appropriate answers. When he took pictures he made me move with a hand that was very gentle - yet firm and allowed for no alternative move - I had never experienced something like that before. So I thought: My goodness - if this hand does the surgery on me everything is going to be just fine! It knows where to go - soft, gentle and yet firm and without any shake or insecure movement.

I had SRS and a trachea shave which were performed in a 9 hour surgery,
I got epidural block and general anesthesia - which seems standard procedure.

I didn't know it was possible to have SRS WITHOUT epidural block.
Dr. Chettawut explained to me 3 months later in an email that he does it because it would limit pain and side effects and also less ga (general anesthesia) were needed. Had I known this I would have chosen to go without the epidural block anesthesia - the risks involved seem to be way too big to me to outweigh the alleged pros. As a patient  I can choose to have SRS without epidural block anesthesia - but only if I KNOW I have a CHOICE - so this is something to think about for you as a patient for consultation and before going into surgery.

The walking down the stairs to the patient room was very uncomfortable - after my surgery I could hardly lift my head because I instantly got completely dizzy - also I could hardly control my legs. So 5 people quite literally dragged me down there - I thought I would never get to that bed - was I glad when I was finally able to lie down again.
I don't think this is a great idea - Dr. Chettawut later responded in an email that it helps against DVT - yet I think the risk of a graft failing due to early movement is huge - I know of no other surgeon that does it - all of them have absolutely strict bed rest for 3-5 days - depending on the surgeon - yet it seems to work ..... but still seems strange to me.

Dr. Chettawut uses a urine catheter and 2 drainage tubes that come out of the mons pubis area. That is something I was not aware of at all. Dr. Suporn and Dr. Sanguan use  one urinary  catheter and one blood drainage catheter that runs out of the newly formed vagina/ vaginal package - thus there are no scars with those two surgeons while I have to minor scars on my mons pubis area. I treat them with Bi-Oil 2 times daily - yet from my point of view no scar is better than any minor scar. One fact I didn't know about at all.

The care from the staff at CPSC was superb - and so was the aftercare in the hotel. It is like family looking after you. Packing removal felt good - yet I wondered if something like the stair incident after surgery would happen again - but I so wanted to get back to the hotel. Yet everything went fine. I got out of bed slowly - made it to the drivers car -sitting was ok for the 15 minute drive - and then I got up to my hotel room and I SOO ENJOYED A WINDOW IN MY ROOM after 4 days at PCSC where the rooms have no windows. The hospitals that you stay in with Dr. Suporn or Dr. Sanguan are typical hospital rooms with windows - so there is a bonus from my perspective for the other surgeons here.
First time emptying the catheter on my own was more like - ohh, ohh - dizziness dawning on me - hurry back to bed! But after the first day my body got adjusted just fine. Yet - I am glad I left my kids at home - I wanted rest - and lots of it. Having breakfast in my room for no surcharge was an absolute blessing and the hotel staff at Dusit was just priceless!
Make sure you get a room with a walk in shower - taking steps after surgery can be quite uncomfortable.

Remember to get those EXTRA-MILE notes from staff members when they clean your room and make a note when you are happy with their service - apparently they get a bonus or else for their efforts to make guests feel well taken care of or doing their jobs extra well.
Nurse Sri is so well trained and capable - catheter removal was perfect - didn't feel a thing. Going to the bathroom was instantly working well - and such a relief - finally all felt the way it should - though it took me a while to adjust to it - it always felt like the pee came out different from were it actually came out.
I was always looking forward for the post-op care team visiting me - it's always been so nice to have them around looking after me.

I decided to add the trachea shave to my SRS - and as I had inquired beforehand if this is possible - and got a positive answer I went for it. I sent Dr. Chettawut the information on the current best trachea shave technique with the incision made at the neck crease - so I expected him to do that.
It turned out that he does it »old-school«. The incision was made just above the Adams Apple with a clearly visible - yet small - scar - not on the neck crease.

I had one more visit with Dr. Chettawut to clear me for going home. He said everything had healed just fine.
I had booked a flight with layover - rented a hotel room at the airport and did a dilation in between stretches - that was very relaxing and took the pressure off of having a 17 or 18 hour time span with no dilation.

I started dynamic dilation post-op month 3 - when I finally found out how to do it correctly with the Dr. Suporn manual later linked to in the blog which I found on the net.
THAT made an ENORMOUS difference in dilation routine.
First of all it was now a lot less time consuming, yet at times quite uncomfortable and sometimes painful - as explained in the manual.

Yet now - 5 months post-op I am so, so happy and thankful I was able to do that.
I have 15 minute quality dilations 2 times a day - and keep width and depth with dilator no.4 at 7 inches - overall gaining a bit on depth still.

So - why was I so upset and disappointed with my Dr. Chettawut SRS experience several days ago?

Number 1 was - in my mind I had decided for another artist in the beginning - and Dr. Chettawuts artistry is simply different.
So that was not a clever choice I made in the first place.

Yet - since everything in life happens for a reason, for me it was the right choice - for exactly my being upset so much about my result.
No why is that so?
I grew up in a family that couldn't accept me the way I was. I always had  to be different from how I felt inside to meet their standards and to be loved. They didn't do that on purpose - but that was just the way it was.
When being faced with the reality that »my standards - of how I wanted me - my genital to be« the child in me broke through: that was not what I wanted - I don't like it - because I wasn't liked the way I was when I was a child.
I want it to be different - I want my genital to be different - because I don't like it the way it is - just like I wasn't loved the way I was when I was a child - I had to meet expectations and standards - so my genital also had to meet expectations and standards.

That is what happened to me 2 days ago. I didn't want to accept what creation gave me through the hands of Dr. Chettawut - because I had MY ideas of what I should be like - here what my genital should be like.
And I completely freaked out!!! Yet on the other hand everything felt so right when it happened - when I went into surgery - I was totally lost an confused - and thought I had made the completely wrong choice - I hand't trusted in life and the universe the way I should have.
Those were two absolutely terrible days - the hurt child that still lives in me floated to the top and shed all its hurt and pain into what I was thinking - so I was looking for someone to blame for my inability to accept myself the way I am - and it was sooooo easy to blame it onto Dr. Chettawut - he was the one responsible, he made it that way!

Well - ALL OF YOU WHO READ SO FAR KNOW THAT THIS WASN'T TRUE - it was my choice ALL THE WAY!

And that is why the universe sent me to Dr. Chettawut - I got the chance to learn the lesson that I can accept me and my body the way I am now, the way it was given to me now. It took the help of my alternative practitioner to finally find the door out of my state of mind and realize what had really happened.
The lesson for me was to learn to appreciate and to love what has been given to me.

So actually I should be thankful to Dr. Chettawut in two respects:

> first for a very good - but different - result of my SRS and

> second for making me experience my body and myself in a new and different way.

As far as post-op communication goes I believe Dr. Chettawut can still improve it A LOT. Response time is + 5 days if at all.
Immensely helpful to me was the Dr. Suporn post-op manual that I found here:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/214947831/SRS-PostOp-Care-Add-Pic


I think it is worth reading for everyone with a full graft surgery - and even has great advice and help for PI or advanced PI patients.

So my overall rating of my Dr. Chettawut SRS experience is:

My result is different - but very beautiful - and I am so looking forward to my first erotic sensations and my first climax.

I did not get really prepared for eventualities that could arise while being on my own back home. Dr. Suporn has this extremely useful patients guide I set up a link to which is priceless for that. Also at Dr. Suporn they have mandatory classes for their patients so they get prepared for the time back home. Definitely room for loads of improvement here for Dr. Chettawut.

Epidural anesthesia seemed mandatory when I underwent surgery - had I known there was a choice I had refrained from it - I believe it is an unnecessary risk of permanent nerve damage that is not worth taking. Simply good to know that Dr. Chettawut leaves that choice for you!

So far Dr. Chettawut doesn't advise on dynamic dilation - I believe it to be far superior to constant static dilation (Dr. Suporn switched to dynamic dilation for his patients in 2006 - the first month post-op is static dilation - starting month number 2 post-op dynamic dilation is expected of the patients - the better choice - also from my experience)

Care at the CPSC in Thailand is simply wonderful and great - it is like family caring for you.

Communication between patients and CPSC post-op has definitely room for improvement.

My trachea shave result is ok - yet not optimal. Due to the incision above the Adams Apple I got adhesions from the scar and the incision. I treat the scar with Bi-Oil which helps it fade quite nicely - and I activate the tissue that has the adhesions by moving it around.  Hopefully Dr. Chettawut will switch to the new technique soon which sets the scar at the neck crease preventing adhesions and also getting the scar out of the prominent Adams Apple area. From what I have seen Dr. Suporn also still uses the »old school« technique - so planning the trachea shave with your FFS procedure might be worth the while.

DEFINITELY get a vaginal douche as soon as you are home! The rectal bulb is far from effective. I use a product called Multi-Gyn here in Germany - and I rinse my vagina with lukewarm water several times after every dilation session - and about every 5 days I rinse with Betadine diluted water.

All in all my result is great, Dr. Chettawut is a very good surgeon and the care and his team are outstanding while in Thailand. I was able to add elements to my after-care that made sure my healing process goes well.

Would I do it again?

That is the wrong question to ask.

My SRS with Dr. Chettawut was meant to be part of MY PATH - so anything else would not have served me as well as my SRS with him. I am thankful I can get on with my life - and that one great part of unrest within me could finally settle down and find peace.

I wish all of you the same - that your heart and the universe will guide you towards the surgeon who is meant for you and your path - because reasoning might lead you towards the one surgeon who might not be the best for you and your life.

Hi Mona,
I'm also a Chett girl and our paths may even have crossed as I arrived in Bangkok on the 15th August for surgery the 20th. I saw your first post before it was deleted and must admit that I was somewhat surprised.

While any surgeon can have an off day, what surprised me most was what you had to say about communication with Chett post surgery. Yes, turn around time for messages can be a bit slow (Jettada only works part time and if the answer has to come from Chett it can even take a week to get a reply) but my experience,  with an admittedly very low volume of past-surgery communication,  has been very satisfactory. Most important of all, right from the beginning I was unhappy with the amount of skin that Chett had left on my Labia Majora and actually asked him to correct it before going home. He explained why he couldn't (risk of necrosis if blood supply to grafted skin damaged) but agreed to do a free revision, if required, at a later date. This revision has been scheduled 6th April and I reserved my flight this weekend.

Why I am telling you all of that you may ask?  Quite simply because for a well identified issue, I had no difficulty with communication and getting Chett to agree to a free revision. Based on this, I suggest that if you have issues which lend themselves to corrective surgery, you ask him what he can do for you. However, since your text below seems to indicate that you are finally quite satisfied maybe that's not necessary.

A couple of pratical points to finish on. Did you try using a healing accelerator like Cicaplast for your scars. I did and my scars are all more or less invisble, even the big ones on the inside of my thighs. While late in the day now, if you have an issue there it is something you might like to try. 

I presently  dilate comfortably once a day for about an hour, mostly with the Soul Source N°4 "big orange" dilator (38 mm diameter). If you are still using the Chett dilators, N° 4 only goes to 32mm so you might want to consider getting bigger ones, especially if you actually plan to use your vagina.

Overall, I suggest that if you have questions, use the post-op thread here to ask them. You have lot's of very knowledgeable people here  to provide advice

To finish, I saw you were from a place called Mittenwald which must be very, very pretty. Lucky you!
Hugs
Donna

P.S. Thanks for the interesting link.
 

(I did want to say that a) Brassard's paperwork specifies that you can choose between epidural and GA [but that the side effects of GA are more severe and long-lasting, so I chose epidural] and b) Brassard's technique doesn't even as high a risk of graft failure as the Thai surgeons' *and* he's a firm believer in being up and walking as oon as possible and he STILL doesn' thave people walk until ~18 hours post-op. Having you walk back to your bed makes no sense! I was wheeled on a gurney...)

I do think it's wise and useful for you to take the attitude that you get what you get, just like you would have at birth, assuming everything is within the range of functional and the average cis woman would not seek surgical correction for it. I hope it helps you feel more at peace...

I sent you a mail Mona and yes, the Soul Source site seems to be out of order for now. However it did work in the past so it is probably a temporary glitch.
I did stay in the Rama and will be going back in April, I really liked the very relaxing atmosphere of the place.
Donna

(The Soul Source dilators are 9 inches long. Should be enough!)

Thank you for sharing about your experience, and all the others who have been to Cheetawut. It helps me a great deal in knowing what to expect and what questions to ask.

If I can ask a question, where was your layover at when you were flying home?

My biggest worry going to Thailand is the flight home and not being able to dilate. I will be flying across the pacific and from bangkok to my home is going to take some 24+ hours

Quote from: treeLB on January 27, 2015, 09:33:30 AM
My biggest worry going to Thailand is the flight home and not being able to dilate. I will be flying across the pacific and from bangkok to my home is going to take some 24+ hours

I assume that you will have a stop en route, Not even an A380 can fly for 24 hours non stop When you book your flights I would try to choose a connection that allows you time between flights to have a stay in an airport hotel. many airports now have hotels inside the transit area so you don't need to clear immigration or anything to use them. Failing that maybe consider a stop at an airport with a lounge you can book which will allow you to shower and you could get a dilation in there as well

Hope that helps

Hugs

Sorcha 

Hi Mona,

I fly out on Thursday to have my surgery and I am pleased to read of your happiness with the work Dr Chett did 

I hope your healing continues and you are able to find further happiness in the years ahead

Hugs

Sorcha 

Quote from: monamtb on March 21, 2015, 03:19:18 PM

All the Best to you sorcha, and I wish the same for you.

Dr. Chettawut always promises to do his best - and you can surely and fully trust him in that!
His team will make you feel like family.
Big hugs and have a wonderful , great and life changing experience!

awww thank you 

Hugs

Sorcha 

Plastic surgeons are indeed artists... and artists have a kind of absentness, moodiness and weirdness to them...  I also told him: Okay, you are a bit quirky, but that is what I like. Do your thing, if you want to do something groundbreaking while you are at it, you have my permission... and I kept my mouth shut.

Giving an artist freedom, is getting great art...