Ask a trans person!

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Camo Eagle

I got a very low %, bank loan.

I used Dr. Peter Raphael in Plano Tx.
http://www.ai4ps.com/procedures/tran...le-mastectomy/

He charged me $6000 which included everything. Visits, consults, surgery, surg facility, follow up.

Because I was alone, I had to pay them $550 for a nights stay at a private hotel suite w/ a private nurse.

There is an extended stay place right down street that gives a special rate to his clients. Dont rem how much it was, but think it was about &175 for the week.

There was also some cost for labs & the med scripts for surg day, which my ins covered.

I did about all of it for the $7000 I borrowed.

The big expense at the time was all the oncologist ,cardiac & blood work I had to under go to prep for the surgery. Ins covered most, but 20% was still over a $1000.

TIPS BASED ON EXP.:

If you get a loan, try to use a bank.
Those Med Loan companies are only 1 step under loan shark rates. One told me that I had such excellent credit they would only charge me 28.9% interest. WTF? LOL
My bank gave me a 3 yr loan @ 2.9% bc I have excellent credit.

Get a list of all after care supplies prior to surg travel. Stock up on all this. Take some with you if you will be staying in a hotel. Leave some at home so you dont have to shop or run out after surgery.

If you can afford it, order/buy your compression garments prior as well.
You WILL want to get out of those ace wraps asap. LOL
I used a great zip up front vest. (approx $60-$75) You WILL NOT be able to get one over your head. I advise 2 if you can.

Hey, Camo.

Were you pleased with his work? I remember him getting high ratings when transter dot com was around.

[atomiczombie]

Originally Posted by Rufusboi

I have a question for anyone on T. How often do you go to your doctor for bloodwork and checkups.

My doctor is making me come in every 3 months for bloodwork and checkups. I will have been on T one year in July. Is this normal when you first start T?

Rufus

Every 3 months is how often I go in too.

[Leigh]

I get it checked about every 3 months also

[Logicaly]

Every 3 months is very common at first from what I understand, I am also doing the same. They said after the first year I can drop it down to every 6 months, and then after another year of that, the doctor says I can go down to once a year if everything looks good.

On top of that, they also started my dose low, and while it was recently upped to .5ml every two weeks, we are using the 3 month mark to continue to up my dose as well, so that my body is easing into things.

[The Oopster]

i've been doing it a few years now and my dr typically does it once a year however i have other issues so i'm due back in 6 monthes. However he's under my insurance, he's also my urologist so it works out fine.

[Linus]

So de-boob-ification was a success. I've been going between deep sleep to lucid to wide awake. I'm actually surprised how little pain I feel (most of the pain is on the side, which Dr. V warned me about). K has been awesome at helping me out, especially for bathroom trips.

A few people have repped me about surprise that I'm home already. This surgery is considered day surgery and generally doesn't take more than 2.5 to 3 hours (at least the one that Dr. V performed on me). Once awake from anesthesia, I'm ok to go home and have a quiet sleepy day of drugs and clear fluids.

As it turned out I did get drains but given that they are slowing and becoming more clear I'm hopeful that I will get them removed tomorrow.

[Camo Eagle]

Originally Posted by The Oopster

I've been on T shots for 3 or 4 years damn .. can't quite remember and on the creme a couple years prior to that. I started that in august of 2005. So I know I need to have the inner workings removed soon.

I'm hoping to get that part covered by insurance. Any pointers on making sure that happens? Also what is a time line for recovery on that, so I can figure out the best time in regards to work for doing it? I'm going to make an appoinment with my gyno soon but since i'm his only transgender patient the more info I go in with the better.

Thanks

Originally Posted by The Oopster

Thanks ... I have do have a small cyst/fibroid and do get some pain ... figuring it may be time to exagerate the pain. Also have had a positive paps in the past so am prone to cancer based on that. So I am hoping they can right it up in such a manner to get it covered.

When I had mine in 99, it was for a med prob and was fully covered by ins.
With your multi Dxs I cant see why the TG issue even needs to be a factor. You have more than 1 standard reason to qual for a med hysto. If his office codes/bills it as such it should be covered. Good Luck.

Originally Posted by Rufusboi

I have a question for anyone on T. How often do you go to your doctor for bloodwork and checkups.

My doctor is making me come in every 3 months for bloodwork and checkups. I will have been on T one year in July. Is this normal when you first start T?

Rufus

1st yr, it was every 6 mths. Now yrly unless my lab work changes.

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Hey, Camo.

Were you pleased with his work? I remember him getting high ratings when transter dot com was around.

I was VERY pleased. Dr. R, ofc staff, med/surg/nurses all wonderful. He employs many FTM/MTF in his ofc.
If you live near, or have someone to pick you up, its a day surg and you can go home. I only stayed in the area 7 days bc its a 5 hr 1 way drive & I was alone. I also wanted the drains out so I didnt have to make the trip again in a week. I was able to drive myself home 5 hrs that soon.
Only prob I had was the so called "dissolvable" sutures turned hard and sawed a 2 in long hole under my R arm. That was not any fault of the Dr., but was just my freaky body. I also am prone to keloid scarring so that area did scar. I think my incision line would be near perfect if I had been able to rest and not move my arms so much, but being alone I had to do what I had to do.
He has my highest recommendation, and Im hard to please. LOL

Originally Posted by Linus

So de-boob-ification was a success. I've been going between deep sleep to lucid to wide awake. I'm actually surprised how little pain I feel (most of the pain is on the side, which Dr. V warned me about). K has been awesome at helping me out, especially for bathroom trips.

A few people have repped me about surprise that I'm home already. This surgery is considered day surgery and generally doesn't take more than 2.5 to 3 hours (at least the one that Dr. V performed on me). Once awake from anesthesia, I'm ok to go home and have a quiet sleepy day of drugs and clear fluids.

As it turned out I did get drains but given that they are slowing and becoming more clear I'm hopeful that I will get them removed tomorrow.

Congrats ! Those drains are the worst part of the whole thing. Everyday will be better. Very happy for you finally passing this milestone in your Journey.

[atomiczombie]

Originally Posted by Linus

So de-boob-ification was a success. I've been going between deep sleep to lucid to wide awake. I'm actually surprised how little pain I feel (most of the pain is on the side, which Dr. V warned me about). K has been awesome at helping me out, especially for bathroom trips.

A few people have repped me about surprise that I'm home already. This surgery is considered day surgery and generally doesn't take more than 2.5 to 3 hours (at least the one that Dr. V performed on me). Once awake from anesthesia, I'm ok to go home and have a quiet sleepy day of drugs and clear fluids.

As it turned out I did get drains but given that they are slowing and becoming more clear I'm hopeful that I will get them removed tomorrow.

I'm so glad to hear Linus!! Wishing you a speedy and complication-free recovery!

Keep us updated on how you are coming along.

[Linus]

Whelp. Drains came out today. I go back in 12 days to see how the nipple grafts took. Additionally, he said that the first few days there will be more swelling and pain but by day 4/5 should start to reduce.

[300GT]

Originally Posted by Linus

Whelp. Drains came out today. I go back in 12 days to see how the nipple grafts took. Additionally, he said that the first few days there will be more swelling and pain but by day 4/5 should start to reduce.

Congrats Linus, hoping you have a speedy recovery

[Linus]

Oh and I almost forgot to add: Dr. V said that I " lost" 5lbs as a result of the surgery but I'm not totally chiseled because he wanted to be sure that my chest matched my beer gut

[The Oopster]

Hey theo and Linus!

Did either of you use arnica before, during, and after your surgery?

Since the two of you also went to voloshin and I know he sometimes doesn't use drains, I am curious of the factor.

I know thinker and I did use it and although he went do a different dr, both of us didn't have drains.

I'm wondering if that played a factor.

I know some in the medical community will say it isn't so, but I am curious.

[The Oopster]

Originally Posted by Linus

Oh and I almost forgot to add: Dr. V said that I " lost" 5lbs as a result of the surgery but I'm not totally chiseled because he wanted to be sure that my chest matched my beer gut

Congrats! I lost around 5 lbs also! I'm glad all is going well

[Linus]

Originally Posted by The Oopster

Hey theo and Linus!

Did either of you use arnica before, during, and after your surgery?

Since the two of you also went to voloshin and I know he sometimes doesn't use drains, I am curious of the factor.

I know thinker and I did use it and although he went do a different dr, both of us didn't have drains.

I'm wondering if that played a factor.

I know some in the medical community will say it isn't so, but I am curious.

I'm going to say no on the arcina as I have no idea what that is. The drains weren't that horrendous since they were in for less than a day.

[The Oopster]

Originally Posted by Linus

Oh and I almost forgot to add: Dr. V said that I " lost" 5lbs as a result of the surgery but I'm not totally chiseled because he wanted to be sure that my chest matched my beer gut

Originally Posted by Linus

I'm going to say no on the arcina as I have no idea what that is. The drains weren't that horrendous since they were in for less than a day.

It's a homoepathic medicine used for swelling and bruising.

[Rockinonahigh]

Originally Posted by Linus

Whelp. Drains came out today. I go back in 12 days to see how the nipple grafts took. Additionally, he said that the first few days there will be more swelling and pain but by day 4/5 should start to reduce.

Congrats on your surgery,hears is to your speedy recovery and good health.

[Rockinonahigh]

Say folks,dose anyon know where I can get binders used,I am useing a x-large spandex t-shirt that works pretty well, but I cant find any anywhere in town,I got these at wall mart in the mens department a couple of years ago.Avadamy has a simular t-shirt but its priced pretty high...heck I prolly need a full body one.

[Thinker]

Originally Posted by The Oopster

It's a homoepathic medicine used for swelling and bruising.

I, too, wondered if the Arnica played into it.

Seems like it's a "game-time decision" for some surgeons......which I think is a good thing. To me, it means they're paying attention.

[theoddz]

Originally Posted by The Oopster

Hey theo and Linus!

Did either of you use arnica before, during, and after your surgery?

Since the two of you also went to voloshin and I know he sometimes doesn't use drains, I am curious of the factor.

I know thinker and I did use it and although he went do a different dr, both of us didn't have drains.

I'm wondering if that played a factor.

I know some in the medical community will say it isn't so, but I am curious.

No, Koop, I didn't use Arnica. Dr. V recommended that I use Nivea Cream (the one in the jar, not the tube) after my surgery, so that's what I did. He said that the other stuff was just "expensive" and it didn't do anything that the Nivea cream wouldn't do for me. I remembered that my sister used Nivea cream on my nephew when he was a baby (he's 21 now, and coming to visit me in July!!! ), so that was good enough for me.

I think that the reason for the drains has to do with how much tissue is removed. Like it was pointed out in Chaz's documentary, the purpose of the drains is to siphon off any accumulated fluid that the body generates to try to replace the excised breast tissue. Wearing the binder post-op, as directed, really helps with that, too. I didn't have my drains in for more than an day, either. It all went pretty quick, I think.

~Theo~

[atomiczombie]

I got a question for the guys who are a year out or more from top surgery: What did you use to lessen your scars during your first year? I hear a lot about silicone strips, has anyone used them? Any other products you guys can recommend? Thx in advance!