I'm shopping for GRS surgeons as I type this and want to know what made you choose your GRS surgeon? Costs, convenience, experience, location?

Mainly on the strong recommendation of four local women who had their surgery done by Dr. Chettawut.  I questioned them closely, and tried to dig up any dirt I could on Dr. Chett.

But the outcome of my particular SRS is detailed in this posting.

To reiterate, you don't hear about the ones the surgeons can't handle, only the ones that get 7 inches of depth.  Many of the ones who were shorted can't bring themselves to tell their story publicly (for which I'm totally understanding.)

I wish there was a Consumer Reports-like review of all the SRS surgeons, with those little round symbols, and one or more 'best buy' picks.  But until that day, choosing a surgeon will be in part a roll of the dice.  You could get awesome results from a second-stringer, or end up with unsatisfactory results from a 'master'.

Karen

dr. bowers was my surgeon.  i chose her because we live in the same state.  having been trained by the eminent dr. biber, she brings extensive expertise to her s.a.s patients.  oo i also wanted the one-stage procedure.  less risks and all that jazz.

I had my surgery twenty years ago with Dr. Biber.

I went to him because he had done more surgeries at that time than anyone else.  My surgery date was delayed by a few months when he broke his leg.  I had other friends at the time who went to another surgeon because they were so anxious.  I waited for who I perceived to be the pioneer with the most practice.  Even though he had plenty of skin to work with, the end result was that I had only 4 inches of depth or so.  It hasn't been a real problem for me.  I was somewhat active in dating back then and it was only an issue for one guy.... who asked me to marry him... so I suppose it wasn't much of an issue for him after all.  I ended up marrying someone else and it wasn't an issue for him either.

The techniques and results have improved over the years.  I've never had any regrets.  No one ever sees it.  It's my personal treasure.

The one thing that I do regret is not getting a trache shave!  Perhaps someday I'll get one.... nah.

Cindi

I can't deny it, money was an issue for me. I did look and I looked for a good surgeon. I even contemplated Dr. Bowers, but at that time she had been making all kinds of mistakes and so I didn't want to be one of her experiments. I thought about Brassard and Menard but the price was a lot of money. I was not going to put my family into debt over me. I did find Preecha and Suporn to be very good and I learned a lot about them. I think they were the only ones I would have gone with in Thailand. They were very experienced and had lots of qualifications and people who gave me written testomony for their work. I went with Preecha as he was in Bangkok and it was only one flight into Thailand that I liked. I talked with his staff on the computer for over 6 months and got to know them pretty good. Also, the money part was something that I could afford. I also was not looking for a vagina so I could accomodate all the penises in the world. I really didn't care about the size at all. I told that to Dr. Preecha and he told me that I would probably want something that could accomodate the average size. I just said Whatever. As it turned out, I had a penile inversion and got 4 3/4 inches in depth, which I still have about 4 inches. I'm still a virgin and I just do my dilating once a week. If a man comes into my life so be it, not looking and don't really care. I intimidate men so my sex life is over. I don't care as I am not depressed anymore and I feel good about myself. Sex is not everything. I didn't like it when I was a man and I'm pretty sure that I won't care about it as a woman.
Well, there it is.
Sheila

Gee I studied everything I could get my hands on on the verious GRS surgeons.  I chated with Dr. Chet.  Talked to Dr. Bowers staff and Dr. Brassards staff, and Dr. McGinn who's a more recent new commer.  One thing to remember is every doctor has an oops once in a while so there's always a chance for things to go south.  Or perhaps it's more that the patients are all so varied.

In the end, I threw a years study out the window and just went with my gut feel.   

Beni

hi.... as you know i am 60 will be 61 in aug coming up ill do my details then you know were i am coming from.  i am post op 18 may o7 yes to morrow one year .........i am a sanguan girl   .  just one word ....WOW.... not just the op.    me as a women as per Dr sanguan.    is such a neat man & his crew . i am not going to have a girl or a boy friend... i knew this before i came out as a women 11years ago so for some of you i would say very few will be like me yes i am both male & female not andro .   just who i am .so the word . sex is not a part of me . my op was not done like most as for a sexual part of there lifes what i am trying to say i .....can .... not have sex there is a word for that.  you know what i am saying.   so for some of you like me its not a problem. yes ...we ... are not all the same .   i was not going to say any thing about this for me its very private i dont talk about it . yet. as i grow as a women & hearing what others are saying i have done this in the hope that some like me will see me for who i am & know i am real &.  you ....can ... talk to me with a trust  that means some thing    . not just words with no meaning.   i allso know some will say what kind of a person can be like this what are you male .  female or what ........this is just me.. different.   oh yea . both m & f .  so dont judge us till you have lived & walked  in our shoes just accept us for who .....we......are .    .thank you ....noeleena.....

I'd recommend you check out the horror stories on google.  I'm down to 1 month  & a couple of weeks now.  Tee-hee!

Prices, personal references from friends I know, I couldn't find anything negative about his background as a surgeon. But I'm ready to bet that every GRS surgeon's had his slip-ups before.  You just don't hear about them. The testimonies I received about him are first hand & I've seen the results.  They're quite awesome! .  I chose Dr. Sanguan in Thailand btw.

For the same exact reasons Natasha & Blanche did.  I already consider myself a Bowers' girl. ~smile~  The wait is killing me though & it's been kind of a conumdrum for me lately!  I presume I've got to be patient?

Oh Lord I know what you mean about the wait,  It would just kill me 3-6 months ago,  Like a 5 year old waiting for christmas, is it here yet.......  Oddly enough as my time draws near, I think less about that and more about getting everything else taken care of before.  At the momet if sort of feels unreal that next week at this time I'll be on an airplane flying to PA.

Beni

Wow Beni, that is coming up fast!  This last week will seem like an endless Christmas eve.  My best to you!

Cindi

I remember the time lines that I had too. I had to get the reservations at the hotel and all the blood work up and to send it all to Thailand. I had to find a place that would fax it over. I remember all the times I would go online to make sure I had the list on what to take with me. The exchange for the dollar. All this with 2 to 3 months to go. I had to make sure the money got there. It really kept me busy and so time kind of flew in one respect and was creeping along in another. I remember someone asking me, are you sure you want to do this? I would say what are you kidding me, I can't wait. They would say are you afraid. I would tell them not at all. I'm looking forward to the day I wake up in the hospital. I had a lot of fun getting ready for the adventure and to make my wish come true. The wish that I have been wishing since I was 4 years old. I have not regretted it at all. I only wished that I would have done this years ago. I have noticed that there have been a lot more having GRS than there were a few years back. When I first came onto Susans, I only knew one, I think, that had it done and she had it done by a surgeon in the South, I can't remember the state, I think it was Kentucky. It was botched and she really had a bad time of it. She moved to Texas, I can't remember her name but I hope she is doing OK. I really liked talking to her.
Sheila

It's been hectic these past few months but I've finally made up my mind.  I've chosen Dr. Suporn for my GRS. Thank you for all your replies.

I went with what I could afford and went to Dr Chett. Big mistake. Although I have a satisfactory result, the overall experience was rather horrific.

It was an easy choice for me. In 1974 Dr. Biber was the only choice and I wasn't up to waiting to see what might happen in the future.

I did my homework. I spoke to people, did a ton of reading, both in print and on the web. And looked at cost. All roads pointed to Dr Brassard. That's whom I chose, and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

If i had to do it all over again, I wouldn't even consider any other options.