Does anyone have experience with Dr. Loren Schechter in IL.

[Guest jamiejcmo]

I can only find a couple of people that have used him. He is the closest to my location being only 7 hour drive and his cost is about the same as the others when I factor in airfare, car rental, etc.

Thanks for any information good or bad.

[Guest Wendy F]

Wow, this is very, very close... I didn't realize there was anything around here. I hope someone replies.

[Guest crissy_oakley]

I am going to do some research concerning Dr. Schechter. It would make things much easier, for me. My mom lives in Galesburg, Ill. and has insisted that she will be with me for the surgery and recovery.

[Guest Leah1026]

General rule of thumb: Never see someone that you've never heard of. If they were any good you would have heard of them by now. I've been in the community 10 years and never heard of him. Here's a local (Chicago area) story on him:

http://glenview.patch.com/articles/morton-grove-surgeon-expects-to-benefit-from-advances-in-gender-change-research

Right off the bat there's an obvious error in the story: There's a lot more than 3 other surgeons in the US. I can name 6 off the top of my head. The worst thing you can do IMO is pick a surgeon based primarily on proximity.

[Guest KimberlyF]

General rule of thumb: Never see someone that you've never heard of. If they were any good you would have heard of them by now. I've been in the community 10 years and never heard of him. Here's a local (Chicago area) story on him:

http://glenview.patch.com/articles/morton-grove-surgeon-expects-to-benefit-from-advances-in-gender-change-research

Right off the bat there's an obvious error in the story: There's a lot more than 3 other surgeons in the US. I can name 6 off the top of my head. The worst thing you can do IMO is pick a surgeon based primarily on proximity.

That is an interesting article. The therapist who works with the doctor-Randi Ettner- has been working in the field since I was a kid. She use to send her patients to Schrang before he retired. She's was at one time on the WPATH board. Not sure about now. She was also the motivation behind J. Michael Bailey's book. He disagreed with what she said.

So I don't know if this guy could be a butcher. I wonder based on location, and the tie w/Ettner, if he trained w/Schrang?

I'm 45 mins from him and never heard much about him other than he does them, for what that's worth.

[Bulldog1948]

I can't remember where I saw some comments about him. But, I do recall that they were not good ones. So, please beware of lesser and unknown surgeons who have been around for years; but have do not have a list of either satisfied or dis-satisfied clients.

[Guest crissy_oakley]

I did send the Doctor an email, this past friday night (Mar 29) and received a reply from his office, today (April 1). I will be talking to him and asking him direct questions about his technique and history, when we talk....

[Guest Wendy F]

I'm surprised there isn't a good surgeon in the Chicago area.

[Guest crissy_oakley]

I did manage to find a review about Dr Schechter, last night but I had closed the website it as listed on and haven't been about to find it again. The review was very positive. I had written Dr. Schechter and he called to speak to me on the phone, this morning. Unfortunately, I was dead asleep when he called. He will be calling back, this evening. The fact that he called, does say a lot about him as a person...

[Guest crissy_oakley]

Hello All,

I just got off the phone with Dr. Loren Schechter... I am very impressed by his credentials and I was surprised that he is not better known in the transexual community. I was very satisfied with his background and that he was a Member of the Standards of Care Committee, during the creation of WPATH Standards of Care Version 7.

He answered all my questions throughly and agreed to ask former/current patients to contact me, concerning their care and satisfaction with his care.

I am still 18 months out from surgery and I am very impressed that Dr Schechter took the time to call. He did not have to do that and I believe that phone call, says a lot about him as an individual and physician.

crissy

[Guest Wendy F]

How come so few people have heard of him if he's any good?

[Guest crissy_oakley]

I would surmise that some of the reasons is a lack of self promotion on his part and a lack of reaserch on our part. If he was a bad surgeon,I am sure we would all know who he is.

Since, talking with him and two of his patients, I have come to the opinion that he is every bit the surgeon that the nationally know surgeons are. I haven't made a decision about who I want as a surgeon, yet. But I have to admit, he is in the lead.

[Guest jamiejcmo]

There ia a girl on youtube that followed her experiences with Dr. Schechter all the way through 1 year post op. She was very happy and talks about his procedure. If you cant find it I will get her channel name. I am considering him very hard.

[Guest crissy_oakley]

I just talked to one of the former patients of Dr. Schechter on the phone. She is very happy with everything the doctor has done for her and highly recommends him. One of the striking features, aside from his technique, is his aftercare. I got the impression that there are no former patients. Which is a good thing.

[Guest Wendy F]

I don't know, if it's true that he is a great surgeon he would be very convenient. He is less than an hour away so no hotel stay or anything. But I'm worried about how some people said they saw negative comments.

[VickySGV]

The bulk of negative comments about a cosmetic surgeon come from patients who did not get the result they wanted, and reality be damned as far as their wants versus what they could achieve. In the people I have met over the years who complained about surgery results, a full third were themselves the real culprit in their own dissatisfaction. Most had not followed up on ordered care, on even such things as ice-packing, or going to a tanning salon too soon, or even getting themselves incapacitated with alcohol or drugs. You will hear from those people, but they never mention their own culpability in the bad result.

Other patients who were dissatisfied did not know that Brittany Spears face cannot go on John Wayne's cheek and forehead bones, and they were unwilling to pay the extra cost of having the bone modified, or even if done that it grew back to factory specs as they were warned that it could.

Check with the state licensing authorities to see if there have been actions on the doctor's license, and maybe check the courthouse closest to him to see if he is a defendant in a malpractice suit, and how many. Then talk to the doctor and see what happens. Internet scuttlebutt and gossip are far from the best, and you can gyp yourself out of a good thing by too much worry and credence to it.

[Guest DanD]

Vicky, thats very true., the points you said.

Its hard to know how to pick someone or who to pick or how to find them. Its nicer if alot of people have known someone and praised them, but if theyre not as well known, could be theyre good surgeons just didnt get into the srs thing for a while...and they might be quite good.

for what its worth, I aksed my own primary care doctor, if she could think of anything good to ask a surgeon, She said if she were considering a surgeon, she would like to ask to talk to other people who have had their surgery done by him before, and see what they have to say. a good surgeon should have some people who are willing to talk to others about them.

I remember, I was referred to my chest surgeon (Dr Beverly Fischer) by someone online. We just werent sure where to go, since the guys in my area werent gong to work out... she put out a thing on newsgroups back in the mid-nineties, that addressed the trans community, does anyone know of any good top surgery surgeons, that would accept Medicare Insurance?

we got a reply back from Gary Bowen, who was the head of TransBoyz down in Maryland at the time.. he said he thinks Dr Fischer accepts insurances like Medicare, and she does top surgeries. We looked up her credentials, work experience,and articles. I also phoned Gary Bowen and we spoke on the phone several times. Seems info i gave him and gave her helped him get his top surgery done, while mine wasnt even done yet, but he had consulted with her first so knw some of her info...

but even she pointed out, when i asked about bottom surgeries and showed her some broshures i had from various surgeons, she pointed out, how some looked good and some didnt, and she said, and remember, these photos are their best case scenarios, because they put them in their own broshure.

Good to point out and keep in mind that they always toot their own horns when theyre trying to sell you something, you know?

Personally, I think i'd like to speak with the surgeon, probably more than once, and see their info, anything i can find at all... and also want to speak with one or more other patients of theirs who had work done.

Thats about where I am on it.

If they're really good at other types of procedures they could be good at this too. Sometimes I prefer people who are active in several places, like, they work in a practice, but also teach..or at least they do sometimes. teachers tend to keep up on new things, since they have to teach it; and they dont get to teach it if they only got a D minus on the classes when they took it.

I think its a darn shame we dont have alot more surgeons who are into this type of work, since its a valuable service to many people. Dr Fischer was always impressed with how happy her FTM patients were after their surgeries. I remember talking to her for hours on the phone the time she called me back...I remember saying, i dont want to be a bearded lady anymore, or a guy with boobs LOL

People that are agaisnt this surgery dont see it as beneficial, but its extremely beneficial. before i never fit in, and now i dont get much notice, as anything odd. it helps to get hired easier, and all sort of things if you fit in and feel better about yourself.

[Guest DanD]

PS:

afew years ago i was looking for a surgeon for phalloplasty, and found some newer surgeons or ones i had never heard of before, but apparently, some of them were know by some people in some groups or locations. Sometimes they can do surgeries right downtown, and nobody in the general public ever had a clue about it.

i read an article in 1980 or so, the Pittsburgh newspaper at the time had an article about the sex change pro group that was in pittsburgh.. the psych's, and surgeons, and endos that worked together, since the early 70's and had done over 4 thousand surgeries in pittsburgh at UPMC presby hospital..and nobody was aware of it because they didnt put it in the papers, you know? it was private..

Thats why so many used to know about christine jogenson and people like that, they were big new stories so theyre known, but most people arent so public about it all.

Dr Leis in Eastern Pennsylvania does all these sex change surgeries, and he is quite good but he didnt decide to do them on a more open basis for a long time. its likely people in the neighborhood are hardly even aware, you know? not till they go on some talk show, or whatever.

[Guest LizMarie]

Most of the SRS surgeons, either MtF or FtM, are not widely known among the general population regardless. I suspect Dr. Bowers and Dr. McGinn only became more widely known after being seen on TV and even there most people do not know who either of them really are. Fame is a relative term.

[Guest Leah1026]

I suspect Dr. Bowers and Dr. McGinn only became more widely known after being seen on TV and even there most people do not know who either of them really are. Fame is a relative term.

I had followed Dr Bowers since the beginning of her career as an SRS surgeon. There was great excitement in the community at the thought of one of our own giving back to the community by doing so. I watched her progress for a few years before going to her myself. I never saw any of her TV work; it was only just starting the year of my surgery.

[Guest LizMarie]

I wasn't very clear there, I suppose. I meant that even the most popular of the SRS surgeons are not widely known outside the trans community and even those within the community are not often as well known as we think.

[Guest Melissa~]

I've said before I already work with a former SRS surgeon right here in St Louis. just not the demand her, he closed up that portion of business in the '90s. Runs a thriving plastic surgery business doing run of the mill profitable stuff. I'd totally talk to him about some FFS, or BA if I eventually decide that it's a need, in the meantime his office provides a good al la carte pricing on laser treatment.

[Guest Leah1026]

General rule of thumb: Never see someone that you've never heard of. If they were any good you would have heard of them by now. I've been in the community 10 years and never heard of him. Here's a local (Chicago area) story on him:

http://glenview.patch.com/articles/morton-grove-surgeon-expects-to-benefit-from-advances-in-gender-change-research

Right off the bat there's an obvious error in the story: There's a lot more than 3 other surgeons in the US. I can name 6 off the top of my head. The worst thing you can do IMO is pick a surgeon based primarily on proximity.

On a whim I went looking for his website today and I found it:

http://uplasticsurgery.com/

Funny enough you find no mention of SRS on their front page. You have to go to the page on Dr Schechter first and then it's the last item listed on the left side as "gender surgery".

http://uplasticsurgery.com/gender-confirmation-surgery

I don't like the fact it seems he trying to hide he does SRS. Another thing is he appears to be someone who tries to do everything. I didn't want to see someone who does everything; when it was my time I went looking for a specialist. I would hope you all would want to see a specialist too.

[Guest crissy_oakley]

Leah,

Did you even bother to read my previous post on Dr Schechter? Better yet, there is contact information on how to reach him. He is at the forefront of GRS and of transexual health issues, an example is SOC Rev. 7. I am curious at your motives for your post.

Chrissy

[Drea]

Word of mouth within the community is pretty strong. There actually is a very strong tendency for anyone to view their surgeion as the best or as great and speak of their experience. Even some with significant complications will do so.

I do not subscribe to the theory that one is only likely to hear the negatives about someone and not the positives. SRS is such a talked about event by those going for SRS there is plenty of opportunity to hear things.

Most of the name I know are entirely from community reputation. Not because of TV or self promotion.

Not hearing about a surgeon often indicates they are a relative newcomer, or they don't do many surgeries. There are surgeons who have a good local following, but never got a wider appeal.