Catching up on my journey
I am probably doing this backwards compared to what most people do, I had the surgery before taking tesosterone. But let’s start with some basic facts about myself.
Age: 36
Height: 5’3
Weight: 160lbs
Shoe Size: 7.5W/5.5 or 6 M
Chest size pre surgery: 36 D/E
Now that we have this out of the way, I decided I needed the surgery first. This is something I have wanted for a long time. Before I knew being trans was a real option and navigated through all of the negativity of transitioning and learning the facts, I had been wanting a breast reduction for over 10 years. So once I really looked into what was possible, I was set on having top surgery. This was a no brainer. I didn’t feel comfortable starting T first while I had these monsters because I was never comfortable binding. I am very sensitive, bras were already annoying and I had switched to sports bras and that was soon becoming annoying as well. The month before my surgery date, I stopped wearing bras all together and layered up.
My surgery was November 29, 2012 with Dr. Garramone in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. My parents decided to come with me to take care of me. This was a mistake. I should have gone with a friend. I highly suggest the same thing for you if you do not have the best relationship with your family. It was cool that they had come around to support me, but they can be toxic and that is not a good environment to be in when you are going through such a big thing as surgery.
And surgery IS a big deal. I feel like everyone downplays that. It’s worth it of course. But it is not just some little thing you’re having done. You need to really research your doctors. And I don’t just mean their results. You should look into what kind of doctor are they. Don’t get me wrong, most surgeons, especially plastic surgeons can be cocky, egotistical people. Don’t let that sway you, it’s a common thing. A few things you need to check out:
- Is the doctor a plastic surgeon or a cosmetic surgeon? Plastic Surgeons have to do a residency in Plastic Surgery. They have much more intensive training. It is a board certified thing. A cosmetic surgeon is really just a doctor. It can be any type of doctor that wants to do cosmetic surgery but hasn't had the residency in plastic surgery. It is always your choice, but you might feel more comfortable with a board certified plastic surgeon.
- Has the surgeon ever had a malpractice suit? Have they ever lost their license? Check out their history. Look for these red flags. Your life is not worth losing when they are plenty of other surgeons who have a safe practice.
- Where will the surgery be held? A hospital is the most ideal. In case something goes wrong, you want to be in a place that can offer that emergency care, particularly if you need a blood transfusion. Many doctors perform the surgeries at surgery centers and worse, in their office. You should definitely consider and weigh these options. I would avoid doctors that perform any procedures in their outpatient offices. People have died on the table, you don't want to be one of them.
- Ask if they will have a licensed anesthesiologist MD or a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). Some will say you want the MD and some will say that a CRNA has more experience because they could be at it longer and doing more. I can't tell you which is better but my surgical tech friend who works in plastic surgery says you want the MD.
- Since I chose Dr. Garramone I learned that there is also a DO. Understanding the difference can be a little confusing so I won't go into the details but my previously mentioned friend said that DO doctors tend to have better bed side manners than an MD. The training is still as up to snuff as an MD so don't worry that you are getting some sort of hack. (I'll go into later with my experience with Dr. Garramone and the surgery.)
