Re-Connect With Dr. Marci Bowers

[VickySGV]

Last Saturday when I was at the Southern Comfort TG Conference, I went to Dr. Bowers conference session for MtF surgery and re-introduced myself to her and let her know I had sent my letters a couple of weeks ago, and would have my $$$$ in hand by the end of October, well before my surgery date in April. She made one wisecrack to me about my weight which is a sore point, but followed it up with a hug and a grin. She dismissed one worry I had about the surgery letter, which in my case was one letter signed by the requisite therapist and an M.D. in behavioral health, and not two separate letters, which she agreed is part of the SOC7 protocol.

The best news she gave me and the others in the conference session is that she no longer requires her patients to go off of their Estradiol before the operation. This was the subject I had been dreading.

Her reasoning for the decision is that in recent studies, it had not been found that E contributed to any post surgical complications, and that her technique and other newer ones do less small blood vessel damage that precipitate blood clot problems. She also went in to a discussion of how and why she uses a single operation technique, and how she constructs the labia minora from the mucous membrane tissue that lines the urethra. Hopefully I will get the full results at full level. She also made a point that as good as her techniques are, that post op sex will not be exactly the same as it is for a genetic woman, but it will still be very good if that is our cup of tea.

[Guest KimberlyF]

The weight thing always sucks on medical forms. I asked them if they needed my current weight or the weight I'll be at surgery

It's an amazing motivator if nothing else.

[Guest Leah1026]

The best news she gave me and the others in the conference session is that she no longer requires her patients to go off of their Estradiol before the operation. This was the subject I had been dreading.

Dr Bowers was my surgeon five YEARS ago and that was her policy then as well, this is not a new policy.

My FFS surgeon had the same policy seven years ago.

I have never had to stop taking estrogen since I started.

[Guest kelise]

The best news she gave me and the others in the conference session is that she no longer requires her patients to go off of their Estradiol before the operation. This was the subject I had been dreading.

Dr Bowers was my surgeon five YEARS ago and that was her policy then as well, this is not a new policy.

My FFS surgeon had the same policy seven years ago.

I have never had to stop taking estrogen since I started.

That's wierd. I went to Dr. Bowers in 2010 and I WAS required to go off estrodiol for two weeks beforehand.

[Guest KimberlyF]

I was seriously told if I was at (insert dosage here) or below I was fine.

Perhaps Robin has a wheel in her office to pass the time

[Guest Jenni_S]

That's wierd. I went to Dr. Bowers in 2010 and I WAS required to go off estrodiol for two weeks beforehand.

The same for me, in 2009. I've always had patches, and I'm not sure how the doses translate, so it very well could have something to do with that, too. Or medical knowledge has advanced and indeed made it a non-issue. It wasn't really much of a big deal, though, what with getting ready to go and having supplies and such; I was so keyed up with everything I barely noticed.

[Guest Leah1026]

That's wierd. I went to Dr. Bowers in 2010 and I WAS required to go off estrodiol for two weeks beforehand.

My exact instructions were:

Stop Spiro 2 weeks before.

Go down to your post-op estrogen dose two weeks prior.

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My pre-op dose was kind of high, so I didn't notice any change when I went to my post-op dose. (Yay me for avoiding listing actually dosages).

On the other hand, stopping Spiro made me gain some 7-8 pounds of water weight. Only this year have I managed to get back to my pre-op weight.