How do you know that you are ready for SRS?

[TonyaW]

For me it was getting near suicidal about 2 months ago when I had the thought that it would never happen (fleeting thought, well over it now).

That made me realize how bad my body dysphoria has become.

Had been sitting on a phone number for about 6 months and made the call a few weeks back.  Consult scheduled for end of April.

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[Joolzz]

Having just had my breasts removed and the daily happiness of not having those DD's i am now plannign my bottom surgery and so know its right for me

[CosmicJoke]

I think there's a certain standards of care (SOC.) If you lived full-time long enough and had a certain amount of real-life experience you are supposed to be ready.

Even then, the wait is usually long and there's certain things your surgeon will probably want you to do beforehand.

[Lori Dee ✅]

I think there's a certain standards of care (SOC.) If you lived full-time long enough and had a certain amount of real-life experience you are supposed to be ready.

Even then, the wait is usually long and there's certain things your surgeon will probably want you to do beforehand.

You are correct about the SOC, but the RLE requirement has been waived. The powers that be found that it could be dangerous to require someone to live openly in the role full-time before having surgery. They still want to see time spent on HRT and therapy, etc. But most of the requirements can be waived under certain circumstances (like allergy to hormone medications or other mental health issues).

It's best to discuss it with the surgeon. They will be up on the latest requirements and what they require before they will consider surgery.

[Sarah B ✅]

Hi Everyone

My thoughts on this thread are contained in "Sarah B's Story"

Best Wishes Always
Sarah B
Global Moderator

[NancyDrew1930]

You are correct about the SOC, but the RLE requirement has been waived. The powers that be found that it could be dangerous to require someone to live openly in the role full-time before having surgery. They still want to see time spent on HRT and therapy, etc. But most of the requirements can be waived under certain circumstances (like allergy to hormone medications or other mental health issues).

It's best to discuss it with the surgeon. They will be up on the latest requirements and what they require before they will consider surgery.

Also some jurisdictions, like Ontario, still require 2 referral letters for SRS (only 1 for breast augmentation), as they haven't updated their policies to match what WPATH says. 

[VictoriasSecret]

For me, it's been a long time coming.

Even though I have lived my best female life since I was 17 (42 years) and counting, I needed to have, not only the financial capacity but also the maturity to know that the timing is right.

I have booked my surgery date for early August this year (2026) and I'm not freaked out, apprehensive, scared or anything like that.

My knowledge of what is going to happen and the extensive research I've done on surgeons, techniques and the quality of the facilities where it will be performed, gives me clarity that my decision is correct for my needs and wants.

I'm not anticipating how things will or won't be because it will be unknown until I actually experience it.

Hearing / reading others experiences has given me their perspective and has armed me with knowledge and a sense security knowing that I have to date, made good choices and decisions.

Having said this, things could change over the next 6 months. There is no crystal ball to predict the future that could change the very foundations of life as we know it.

If you're freaking out, something is amiss.

I'd be very interested to know if the above members actually went through with their surgeries as most of the posts are from 2014.

[Asche]

I don't know that I ever felt "ready" or "not ready."  To paraphrase Yoda, do or not do, there is no "ready" or "not ready."  You either take the next step in your life, or you remain stuck.

Much of my life I have been guided by a feeling as to what was the right choice, or a sense that the way became clear, sort of like when you're hiking and it gets dark and you have to let your feet tell you where the trail is.  When I divorced, it was because it had become clear to me that if I stayed in the marriage, I would soon be dead, and while the idea of being dead didn't feel all that awful at the time, I knew I couldn't abandon my kids that way.  Many years later, I read a blog article which led me to consider that I might be trans, and that started me on the road that led to my transitioning.  Each stage was just one more step on the road that felt laid out for me.  (I'm very grateful for my trans foremothers who blazed the trail!)

As for SRS, it wasn't a matter of knowing that I was "ready," it was that that felt like the next step.   I never felt any inner conflict or questions about SRS, and the only reason it took 6 years before I could get it was the arbitrary standards of the individual surgeons.  The closest thing I had to any qualm about my "decision" was when it was time for me to walk to the OR, and I was terrified.  But I've had a lifetime of being terrified and moving ahead anyway, so it didn't stop me.

[ChrissyRyan]

I remain scared to have it.  I will need to get past this first.

[Charlotte_Ringwood]

I decided I at least wanted an orchiectomy to get rid of my need for Cyproterone Acetate long term. Looking at costs it just made sense to go for full GRS. So decided to do that and sort for 2027. Via NHS would be over 6-7years at least. It'd bug me so made sense to just go private. I don't really find big decisions difficult!

I'm just doing penile inversion. Not too bothered about depth as long as there is some.

[Athena]

For me it was when I was walking to the operating room.

I knew in the back of my mind that it was something that I needed to get done but it was more on the level of needing a haircut. I was worried about timing as we were coming up to an election and unfortunately the Conservative party of Canada seems to be more Maga lite. There are far too many Canadians that lean towards Maga. I was worried that if the Conservatives took office then they would ban gender affirming care before I got the surgery.

I'll be honest I was so worried that I would be turned away from surgery and I didn't have a ride home for 8 more days. It wasn't until they put me in a small room by myself that I was able to relax enough to really think about if I was making the right choice. After about 25 minutes someone came to talk to me and 5 minutes after that they came to take me to the operating room.

Even walking to the operating room I was having second thoughts wondering if I was making a mistake. Suddenly my testicles started to stick to my leg and it was at that point that I truly knew that I was making the right choice. Even the few times that I had extreme pain after surgery I have never had any regrets none at all.

In the back of my mind before getting surgery I knew that I needed to do it but it just didn't seem that important but in the end it absolutely was.