Top Surgery

I'm Eljay, a 21 year old trans-man in dire need of top surgery. 
The way things are in Ireland, we no longer have a top surgeon, so I have no choice but to go abroad. My initial plan was to go to Poland, where it is generally a lot cheaper. However, Poland's anti LGBT policies have made it so I would feel deeply unsafe staying there for 2 weeks, and then also have to go back a few months after for a revision. This has left me choosing to go to London, which is thankfully a lot closer to home and would only require me staying a week, however at a much higher cost. With that being said, my safety in what is already quite an invasive surgery comes first, so I will be going to Dr. Miles Berry in London for it, where I know I'll be in good hands.

My chest causes me so much genuine distress and disdain to for myself, and all I want is so be finally comfortable in my own skin. I experience gender dysphoria, which means extreme emotional unease as my body does not reflect my gender identity, every single day. This has exacerbated my depression and anxiety, meaning I constantly am struggling with my mental health. I also experience physical discomfort through binding my chest in an attempt to make it look flatter. This can get extremely painful as it crushes my ribs and you cannot wear a binder for any longer than 8 hours a day or else your body would be permanently damaged.

I really do hate asking and reaching out for help in this, but I feel like I'm at such a dead end. Due to disabilities, I am unable to work, and I truly cannot do this alone.

Getting top surgery will honestly be life-changing. It will help ease my gender dysphoria and will be a huge step forward on the journey of coming home to myself, after years of living in a body I never felt comfortable in.

In the long run, since I suspect my anxiety and depression stems from gender dysphoria, after surgery I hope to wean myself off antidepressants, and get a job down the line of it all. To finally experience life as any other young man in his 20s.

Thank you for reading, and any donation is so greatly appreciated!

Eljay