I posted yesterday and no one had any questions so I just want to say I’m still here and still willing to answer. I love all the support.
I had bottom surgery with doctor satterwhite in San Fran. I used blue cross blue shield insurance. Pains been minimal so far. I sleep a bit on and off but I love questions and support so feel free to ask away. All I’m doing is this ama and watching Voyager.
Was there any kind of shock or emotional moment when you realized it was done?
When the doc checked it and I saw it for the first time. It was smiling like crazy. I still kinda am.
Omg, that made me glow just to read
I couldn’t tell anything had been done until that point.
Are you ftm or mtf? Sorry it’s too personal, just asking as someone who is curious
Ftf is how I like to think of it.
Hey! I have Anthem blue cross and am scheduled with Satterwhite for the 15th! What were the up front costs for you, like surgery center fee + copay etc.? Thanks for any extra advice, I hope you recover well.
Last but not least how does it look?
It looks like packing lol. I’m curious to see how it comes out. Yea surgery center is all you pay upfront. You’ll just pay your term max minus whatever else you’ve already paid this year. The surgery center is in network with every major carrier. So that’s a nice touch.
thanks girl ive been freaking out cause i only have 5 grand to pay up front and i though i had to pay like the surgeon fee too! i thought i was going to have to reschedule after all of this wait
I doubt it. If your insurance cap isn’t high you’ll be fine. I’m hoping disability kicks in so I’m not hurting financially durning my recovery.
and congrats!
How does your blood drain feel?? Is it annoying to only be able to sleep in one position?? I’m having mine in 30 days and I’m horrified
Actually to add to that everything makes me sleepy. Eating, drinking, walking, sitting up. If I can’t fall asleep I take a pill lol. I’m pretty comfy on my back.
They gave me sleeping pills and the pain pills make me sleepy as well.
How long was the process for everything to get the ball rolling
Thru insurance and everything. Not to bad.
Hi was wondering about the pain too . Still so excited for mine next week on friday goin be in afernoon its full depth one im getting xxx
Pain isn’t that bad. It’s gotten a bit intense after I walked around a bit but not to bad. Nothing over a 5 yet but I’m staying real consistent on my pain meds thou.
Oooh. Congrats!! What's full depth?
A traditional/standard vaginoplasty is full depth, meaning there's a vaginal canal. If you don't ever want vaginal penetration, you can opt for low-depth (shorter vaginal canal) or no-depth (no vaginal canal). These options both have a lower risk and shorter recovery time.
A great option for all the lovely gays out there, for example.
For me, personally, I do value penetration, so it's not an option. But it's perfect for some people.
I had never heard of it referred to that way. I guess I got a full depth then. 4 inches which I was told was standard.
If you don’t mind me asking how much did have you pay out of pocket ?
Just the life max. Not even 2k. My insurance is pretty good thou.
First off, Congratulations and I hope that any discomfort will be low and brief.
My biggest question being pre-everything is how did you come to make the decision to move forward? This seems like it would be an incredibly difficult decision to make.
Thanks!
I tried to picture my life over and over and over without the surgery and I just couldn’t do it.
Thanks for the response. I hope you are feeling well today?
I am jealous that you were able to imaging yourself as you need to be. I struggle with visualizing myself as anything other than a hideous male wanting to be female on a number of levels. Is that something that you faced at some point but have overcome?
Yea, that’s a day to day thing but I also see the effects the hormones are having. It’s really nice. I also have an amazing support system. My friends are great about reminding me how far I’ve come.
My friends are great about reminding me how far I’ve come.
That's great! How are you feeling now?
Pretty good on the day to day. I can get up, I’m walking every morning and night, I have a detachable shower head in my bnb which is a life saver on showering. I can wash my hair, legs, arms, almost like normal just have to be carful not to let water drip so I just wash one limb at a time. Other than that I just text my friends, eat and sleep.
Congrats!!!! How have you been emotionally. I’m always worried I’ll get antsy and anxious from not being able to move
They have a pill for that but I haven’t needed it. I’ve mostly just been chilling watching Netflix when I’m not sleeping.
Have you seen your dilator set yet? What is the regiment they are saying to do and which color are you starting on (assuming you are using the Soul Source ones)
No I haven’t seen those at all. I wont see em till till after the packing comes off.
Just a little heads up: when you do finally see them, don't freak out. The orange one will fit and you will be able to get it in eventually, I promise. ;)
I’m looking forward to that part to be honest. It’ll mean I’m past the pain.
I got soul source dilators at pre opp but was only given 1 and 2 x
I get them all post op the day I can start using them.
Congrats! Very jealous right now.
How's the packing feel? How'd the anesthesia go?
Edit- fyi y'all, there's a downvote fairy in the comments here, so if you get instantly bumped to -1, don't worry about it.
As far as the anesthesia thou I only remember dreaming about my bff driving around town in rich cars.
😂
The packing is tight. I didn’t feel it at all the first day. Today thou I have a lot more sensation over my whole body. The pain is being treated pretty aggressively so far. After day 3-4 we’ll start backing off. I’m supposed to go for a walk later today. There’s a zen garden here that I’d like to see on my walk.
good to hear! good luck!
Thanks.
For the first week, the more you move the more risk of hematoma. Keep that in mind.
A Pool of blood in the brain? I don’t think that’s true and my doctors are saying the sooner I start walking the less chance I’ll get blood clots.
A hematoma is not just a pool of blood in the brain... In this case it is a bubble that forms inside of your surgical incision that will leak dark blood for the next month. I walked 2 laps at a time, 3 times a day. And was told I got a hematoma from my excessive exercise. So, its whatever. Dont listen to the person on week 2 when ur on day 2.
I’ll listen to my doctor
Go for it. I dont think you should be offering answers to other peoples questions while you're not even out of the hospital then. Try and focus on your own healing.
I am out of the hospital. For your info.
Yikes.
Why? A hotel with a nurse is a lot better. I get a big as bed and 24/7 care. The hospital was hell.
Because of things like hematomas and surgical complications that require gynecological observation.
I trust my doctor and his team. If it was gonna be an issue they’d have told me. So far they’ve been spot on with everything.
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I was out in two and a half days when I had mine, by a surgeon trained by Bowers, in a surgical program spearheaded by Bowers. I think you're being a little bit of a know-it-all when you imply that you somehow know better than all of these trained medical professionals.
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Okay thank you for sharing
sorry to ask insurance questions but do you have blue cross blue shield from California? I have Florida blue cross and was wondering if I'd still be able to get it covered. thank you so much and best of luck in your recovery :)
I used blue cross blue shield of tx. They got it covered. Everything except the doctor. It’s worked out great so far. I’m just hoping my company’s disability will kick in.
PPO? Did you have to pay upfront and get reimbursed or did they bill bs and you paid the deductible?
My doctor handled that for me. I only payed the deductible and max term. I haven’t gotten my doctors bill yet.
Mine is in July with her. I wish it were sooner but I have class this quarter and FFS in the winter.
Was there anything negative? Bc I really liked her work and demeanor and didn't even want a second consult.
You mean him? Dr Thomas satterwhite?
I mean I'm an idiot and confused him with Wittenberg
Thanks 😊
Oh ok. No problem. I’ve done that before. For a second I thought my pain med brain had typed something wrong.
Are you still on the catheter? Can you tell me how peeing is like post op?
It’s a constant I have to pee feeling. You just ignore it mostly.
Do you feel like your not emptying your bladder completely? I am one and a half year post op and peeing has been a major adjustment and effort. I feel like I'm peeing frequently, not completely emptying my bladder and struggling beginning to pee. Truthfully, I miss how effortlessly peeing was for me before getting SRS. Aesthetically, I'm happy with how it looks, just now having to adjust the way I pee.
Oh I haven’t peed without the catheter yet. That’ll be fun. I’m sure I’ll have to adjust.
No.. there’s a blood drain as well as a catheter.. like almost all of the time with SRS as the OP just commented on Ok that’s really unfortunate? I’m sorry that you went through that. Your advice was non specific and you have this need to be right it’s strange. Honestly idk what your point is
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