SRS Consult

[emeraldmountain2]

Hi,

 

I have an upcoming consult to discuss SRS. This will be my first ever consult for any gender affirming surgeries. I'm not sure what to expect. Does anyone have an experience they could please share? Is being nonbinary and still having lingering doubts about transition going to be a problem with them, even though potential SRS is probably a couple years or more out?

 

Thanks!

[emeraldmountain2]

I appreciate that one must be quite certain that SRS is right for them, but I see this consult as just an information gathering session that can help me make that decision down the road.

[emeraldmountain2]

Hi @Audrey. You've mentioned that you have surgery booked. Could you please share your experience here or as a PM? I would really be grateful. Thanks!

[Audrey]

I would be happy to share my experience.

 

Since you have an appointment scheduled, I will skip the talk about the long wait time which you may be familiar with already. I had to wait one year from the day I called to when I came in for the consult. To even be considered a serious candidate for surgery at all and worth the practice's time, I needed to have letters ready to go at this early stage.

 

This is definitely the time for soul searching about what your goals from surgery are and what expectations you have. As part of this, it is helpful to understand the lay of the land with your health insurance. What would or would not be covered, and what costs would you bear as part of any surgery you decide to have? Also consider your ability to take time from work for recovery, and the diligence you will need to take for self-care (particularly with dilation and follow-up appointments). Your overall health is important too as you will want to be in the best physical condition you can to help your recovery. Weight loss is a concern for many, myself included. There is also the psychological preparation for something so life-changing!

 

At the consult, pay particular attention to how generous the surgeon is with time and answering your questions. I developed a list of questions I wanted to be sure to ask that I added to over the course of the lead-up to the consult. No question is too foolish to ask! If you can, learn about outcomes and satisfaction from previous clients of the practice. Some surgeons will show you pictures in the office during your appointment. Bear in mind that it will likely be a considerable time between your consult and a surgery date. In my case, they are nearly two years apart.

 

Please feel free to reach out to be directly if you have specific things you want to ask!

 

Love,

~Audrey.

[emeraldmountain2]

Thank you so much Audrey for taking the time to kindly reply! This is very helpful information and I appreciate it! Thank you for offering me to reach out directly, which I might do later on.

[KathyLauren]

I wish I had thought to ask here what to expect.  My consultation was about 5 months before my surgery date.  I had no idea what kind of questions people ask on their consultations.  So when the surgeon called, I think I was expecting him to have questions for me.  I didn't have many for him.  It was a short conversation.

 

Do write down any questions you do have so you will remember them.

[emeraldmountain2]

Thank you @KathyLauren