Gender Reassignment Surgery
Donation protected
Hey, I am Eleanor, I am a Transgender woman living in the UK and hoping to raise the funds for my Gender reassignment surgery. (Sometimes known as Sex Reassignment Surgery or SRS) There are a few types of GRS you can have but the type I am having is Vaginoplasty . <--- please find link for more information about this.
-My Journey So Far
I am 25 years old and started my transition back in October 2019. Personally I hold so much regret for not transitioning earlier on in my life since I have felt this way about my gender identity as early as the age of 3, but was far too scared to do anything about it until recently. I have come to accept that if I don't do this, having felt this way for most of my life anyway, I will only hold more regret and live a very unhappy life constantly lying about my true identity.
I have been taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for 6 months and have been doing Voice Therapy for around the same length of time. There are 12 sessions to Voice therapy and I have my last session next month. To start these treatments I went to the private gender identity clinic Gender Care where they first assess you in a gender affirming consultation. Every 6 to 9 months I need a review with an endocrinologist to evaluate the treatments i am having. On top of this I started laser hair removal for the removal of facial hair but unfortunately as a result to COVID this was delayed for a few months. I have now started this treatment again.
As a result of these treatments i am having, my Gender Dysphoria has started to alleviate, and for the first time in my life, i really do feel so much happier, like i finally fit in and have my place in this world rather than how I use to feel holding so much hate towards myself. Constantly trapped in the body i was never meant to be in. It took me many years to get to where i am today due to how terrified i was about how others such as family and friends would think of me. I was scared to lose loved ones in my life, and if I am being honest, I have lost loved ones in my life. But, I am finally becoming the woman i have always wanted to be. The person I have always dreamt of, I am finally becoming FREE!!!!. However, despite all this, the cost of these treatments is incredibly expensive and i have come as far as i can on my own and unfortunately, the biggest source of my dysphoria still remains. This will always remain until I have had this surgery- My Genitalia
This impacts my every day life, from simple daily tasks like showering, using to toilet, looking in the mirror. It is a constant reminder that my body doesn't fit my true gender identity. I struggle to sleep at night, get motivated, maintain focus, because every moment of the day, the feeling of being incomplete constantly dwells on my mind. There is nothing I can do to make this stop. Personally it feels like torture. I just dream to soon feel fully content and complete as a woman, to finally be truly happy! But until my surgery, everyday I am reminded of my incorrect genitalia.
-Why Go Private
Unfortunately due to a high demand and lack of qualified staff in this field within the NHS, there is currently a 2 year wait to be accepted NHS treatment in gender dysphoria. This two years has now gone up to 3 years as a result of COVID. On top of that, to have gender reassignment surgery, there is a further 4 year wait to have this on the NHS which also may go up due to COVID. That means there is a total of 7 years maybe more until someone like myself can complete a transition. Until I can truly be happy. There are a few NHS gender identity clinics in the UK which all have very similar wait times, but the one i am referring to is London Charring Cross GIC . Personally the fact a transgender person can be left without any significant help sickens me and this is the reason so many transgender people are forced to seek private care. Gender dysphoria is an extremely difficult weight to carry around with you every day.
-Requirements For Surgery
In order to be allowed to have this surgery, there are some requirements needing to be met. You need to be 1 full year on HRT and at this same time you need to be living at least 1 year openly as you correct gender identity. You then need to supply evidence of this, either with a letter from your doctor/employer, bank statement, passport or drivers license.
You need to have to consultations with two separate endocrinologists to gain two referrals for surgery.
You need to have a consultation with your surgeon of choice or surgeon selected for you.
Upfront payment is required to book and confirm the surgery date, without this you cannot guarantee a date or your place in the wait list (yes there is a wait list for private too).
I know I mentioned I am only 6 months into HRT, but you are allowed to begin the process of completing the requirements for surgery as soon as 6 month of HRT. I have already got my two referral consultations booked in, one in November and one in February. I have had a consultation with a potential surgeon who has said i can have my surgery with him as soon as march as long as i meet the other requirements. I also finally hold a female passport with my name legally and officially changed.
-Choosing Your Surgeon
So although I have had one consultation with a surgeon already. Choosing your surgeon is a really big part of the process and can also be a difficult part since there is so much to take into consideration between each surgeon.
The surgeon i have already had a consultation with is a lovely man and is the leading surgeon in this type of surgery in the UK. However, I am also in contact with a surgeon from Thailand who is the worlds leading surgeon in this type of surgery. The cost between these surgeons are not to different, in fact to have this surgery in Thailand its £5000 cheaper, but once you take into consideration of the accommodation, flights, food etc. they both equal out to be roughly to same cost of £15,000. A lot of you may think, ok, go Thailand, worlds best surgeon for this, same cost, no brainer. But there are huge pros and cons to take into consideration with both of these surgeons.
UK Surgeon Pros,
I am in the comfort of my own country, also post surgery, after 5-6 days i get to go home and recover.
Bedside manors are fantastic, hospital is fantastic, well equipped, amazing food, highly trained staff.
In safe hands with UK's leading surgeon.
Revisions if needed genuinely are free and easy to get to.
The look of the vagina is extremely good and accurate.
I will be well looked after my whole stay.
UK Surgeon Cons,
The technique used when performing this surgery is out of date.
potentially more risk due to an out of date technique.
less depth created.
sensation and nerve endings are preserved extremely well but not as many can be preserved within this technique.
Thailand Surgeon Pros,
More advanced technology for this procedure.
New techniques are used preserving a lot more nerve endings.
Greater depth.
The look of the vagina is outstanding and extremely accurate.
In very safe hands with one of the worlds leading surgeons.
Thailand Surgeon Cons,
I have to stay in Thailand for 40 days and due to my families positions, and the time it is i am out there, i will possibly be going alone.
Post surgery just 20-25 days after i will have to get a 14 hour flight home.
Potential language barrier with the nurses that assist in after care. (i know this as my friend who had her surgery in Thailand had this issue)
If any revisions are needed this may cost further money to fly back to Thailand and have these done, to then endure another 14 hour flight home post surgery again.
If anything is to go wrong, it may cost thousands to fix due to insurance reasons.
Please note.... with this information about the surgeons, some may be incorrect. This information was attained by friends and other transgender peoples experiences. Some information i have also found from my own research, photos of both surgeons i have also seen.
I want to thank you all for taking the time for reading this, I have tried to attach links within so if you want further information please see the links.
If you are in the position to help me, please donate, please share my story, please help me prevent having to wait the many years it will take to get help on the NHS. I only dream to be truly happy and complete as the woman i have always wanted to be. This will truly mean everything to me!
Thank you so much and much love to you all!
-My Journey So Far
I am 25 years old and started my transition back in October 2019. Personally I hold so much regret for not transitioning earlier on in my life since I have felt this way about my gender identity as early as the age of 3, but was far too scared to do anything about it until recently. I have come to accept that if I don't do this, having felt this way for most of my life anyway, I will only hold more regret and live a very unhappy life constantly lying about my true identity.
I have been taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for 6 months and have been doing Voice Therapy for around the same length of time. There are 12 sessions to Voice therapy and I have my last session next month. To start these treatments I went to the private gender identity clinic Gender Care where they first assess you in a gender affirming consultation. Every 6 to 9 months I need a review with an endocrinologist to evaluate the treatments i am having. On top of this I started laser hair removal for the removal of facial hair but unfortunately as a result to COVID this was delayed for a few months. I have now started this treatment again.
As a result of these treatments i am having, my Gender Dysphoria has started to alleviate, and for the first time in my life, i really do feel so much happier, like i finally fit in and have my place in this world rather than how I use to feel holding so much hate towards myself. Constantly trapped in the body i was never meant to be in. It took me many years to get to where i am today due to how terrified i was about how others such as family and friends would think of me. I was scared to lose loved ones in my life, and if I am being honest, I have lost loved ones in my life. But, I am finally becoming the woman i have always wanted to be. The person I have always dreamt of, I am finally becoming FREE!!!!. However, despite all this, the cost of these treatments is incredibly expensive and i have come as far as i can on my own and unfortunately, the biggest source of my dysphoria still remains. This will always remain until I have had this surgery- My Genitalia
This impacts my every day life, from simple daily tasks like showering, using to toilet, looking in the mirror. It is a constant reminder that my body doesn't fit my true gender identity. I struggle to sleep at night, get motivated, maintain focus, because every moment of the day, the feeling of being incomplete constantly dwells on my mind. There is nothing I can do to make this stop. Personally it feels like torture. I just dream to soon feel fully content and complete as a woman, to finally be truly happy! But until my surgery, everyday I am reminded of my incorrect genitalia.
-Why Go Private
Unfortunately due to a high demand and lack of qualified staff in this field within the NHS, there is currently a 2 year wait to be accepted NHS treatment in gender dysphoria. This two years has now gone up to 3 years as a result of COVID. On top of that, to have gender reassignment surgery, there is a further 4 year wait to have this on the NHS which also may go up due to COVID. That means there is a total of 7 years maybe more until someone like myself can complete a transition. Until I can truly be happy. There are a few NHS gender identity clinics in the UK which all have very similar wait times, but the one i am referring to is London Charring Cross GIC . Personally the fact a transgender person can be left without any significant help sickens me and this is the reason so many transgender people are forced to seek private care. Gender dysphoria is an extremely difficult weight to carry around with you every day.
-Requirements For Surgery
In order to be allowed to have this surgery, there are some requirements needing to be met. You need to be 1 full year on HRT and at this same time you need to be living at least 1 year openly as you correct gender identity. You then need to supply evidence of this, either with a letter from your doctor/employer, bank statement, passport or drivers license.
You need to have to consultations with two separate endocrinologists to gain two referrals for surgery.
You need to have a consultation with your surgeon of choice or surgeon selected for you.
Upfront payment is required to book and confirm the surgery date, without this you cannot guarantee a date or your place in the wait list (yes there is a wait list for private too).
I know I mentioned I am only 6 months into HRT, but you are allowed to begin the process of completing the requirements for surgery as soon as 6 month of HRT. I have already got my two referral consultations booked in, one in November and one in February. I have had a consultation with a potential surgeon who has said i can have my surgery with him as soon as march as long as i meet the other requirements. I also finally hold a female passport with my name legally and officially changed.
-Choosing Your Surgeon
So although I have had one consultation with a surgeon already. Choosing your surgeon is a really big part of the process and can also be a difficult part since there is so much to take into consideration between each surgeon.
The surgeon i have already had a consultation with is a lovely man and is the leading surgeon in this type of surgery in the UK. However, I am also in contact with a surgeon from Thailand who is the worlds leading surgeon in this type of surgery. The cost between these surgeons are not to different, in fact to have this surgery in Thailand its £5000 cheaper, but once you take into consideration of the accommodation, flights, food etc. they both equal out to be roughly to same cost of £15,000. A lot of you may think, ok, go Thailand, worlds best surgeon for this, same cost, no brainer. But there are huge pros and cons to take into consideration with both of these surgeons.
UK Surgeon Pros,
I am in the comfort of my own country, also post surgery, after 5-6 days i get to go home and recover.
Bedside manors are fantastic, hospital is fantastic, well equipped, amazing food, highly trained staff.
In safe hands with UK's leading surgeon.
Revisions if needed genuinely are free and easy to get to.
The look of the vagina is extremely good and accurate.
I will be well looked after my whole stay.
UK Surgeon Cons,
The technique used when performing this surgery is out of date.
potentially more risk due to an out of date technique.
less depth created.
sensation and nerve endings are preserved extremely well but not as many can be preserved within this technique.
Thailand Surgeon Pros,
More advanced technology for this procedure.
New techniques are used preserving a lot more nerve endings.
Greater depth.
The look of the vagina is outstanding and extremely accurate.
In very safe hands with one of the worlds leading surgeons.
Thailand Surgeon Cons,
I have to stay in Thailand for 40 days and due to my families positions, and the time it is i am out there, i will possibly be going alone.
Post surgery just 20-25 days after i will have to get a 14 hour flight home.
Potential language barrier with the nurses that assist in after care. (i know this as my friend who had her surgery in Thailand had this issue)
If any revisions are needed this may cost further money to fly back to Thailand and have these done, to then endure another 14 hour flight home post surgery again.
If anything is to go wrong, it may cost thousands to fix due to insurance reasons.
Please note.... with this information about the surgeons, some may be incorrect. This information was attained by friends and other transgender peoples experiences. Some information i have also found from my own research, photos of both surgeons i have also seen.
I want to thank you all for taking the time for reading this, I have tried to attach links within so if you want further information please see the links.
If you are in the position to help me, please donate, please share my story, please help me prevent having to wait the many years it will take to get help on the NHS. I only dream to be truly happy and complete as the woman i have always wanted to be. This will truly mean everything to me!
Thank you so much and much love to you all!
Organizer
Eleanor Shore
Organizer