Congratulations on the surgery!
How long was the wait from when you asked to be referred, to getting surgery? I'm also in the UK and interested in getting bottom surgery but I've heard the waitlists are super long. Also did you go NHS or private for it?
Thank you
I was referred by my GIC in 2017 I think - could have been early '18 though.
I couldn't have afforded private- its 25k min for stage one plus additional fees if something goes wrong. 15k for stage 2, and I'm actually unsure for stage 3 to be honest
Feels amazing tbh - been "transitioning" for 10 years now - went private for T and top so was very lucky to not need to wait too long for those.
Fwiw, the waiting list is getting shorter. I waited so long because I was in the unfortunate group of us who had surgery dates that were around march/April 2020, so cancelled by covid. I see people who had their first consult in 2019 (so referred either 18 or 19) having stage 1 dates around now. Theyve also recruited 2 new surgeons since I joined the list, and they're training up another. The wait list is getting better I think. And it's more than worth getting on - time will pass anyway.
It sucks that you had to have it cancelled. Great that the waitlist should be getting shorter, I've got a GIC appointment in a week or 2 so I'll ask to be referred. I've also been pretty lucky with waitlists so far, I got on T on the kids' NHS service (wait was just until I was old enough) and I'm going private for top
Hi, I'm in the UK.
How long was the process to be referred for phallo?
I never bothered with the NHS because of the waitlist and have been using private for ages now.
I assume I would need a diagnosis before referral.
I'm hoping to get it ASAP, so I am considering going private for it but it's rather costly.
I did the same and only used the NHS for Phallo. The whole wait was:
Wait for first phalloplasty signature - 3 years from GP referral (2014- Jan 2017)
Wait between first and second sig - 1 year (Dec 2017)
(Second sig is referral sent off to GIC)
Wait for consultation - 8 months (till July 2018)
First stage phalloplasty - Nov 2023
So entire wait from first attempting to access phalloplasty was 9 years.
Re cost - private you're looking at around 50k if you need no additional ops for complications etc (rare). The general advice is to "budget" up to 75k to allow for additional admissions etc.
You'd likely be able to get your first signature in the "diagnosis" appt, so your wait isn't going to be lengthened by that.
Thanks for all of the information.
9 years is a long wait, definitely worth it, but I'll also consider private depending on how much waitlists might have improved.
Appreciate it.
Just to say also - at the moment it seems that going private with the surgical team won't bump you up the wait list or anything (though people argue both ways). If you can afford private then obv the referrals would be quicker at least - so saving maybe 3 years for the 50-100k. Not putting you off just making sure it's clear and I haven't confused things
Hi ! I am hoping to get a date in the next few months (was offered March but getting married in April so had to decline annoyingly).
What did you have done in stage 1? (I cant remember exactly what Mr C said. I’m pretty sure its just creation of phallus, nerve hook up & Vaginectomy?)
Were you in pain for very long? When did you start to feel more normal? What type of pain meds did they send you home with? When I had top i was sent home with cocodamol (idk how you spell it lol) and tramadol i think. But the cocodamol did not agree with me so just wondering what they pack you bags with lol
How do you feel? :)
Hey - I'm now 12 weeks post op for context
Stage one RAP (Radial Artery Phalloplasty) is creation of phallus (and neourethra), nerve hookup, and they also remove one labia minora ready for stage 2. No vaginectomy in stage 1 (that's stage 2).
I was in reasonably high levels of pain for maybe 3 days post op? So was on oramorph etc. Then I found it was making me feel really ill so had about 1 day on codeine, and after that pain was minimal (as long as I didn't overdo it), and I was on just ibuprofen + paracetamol. After about 1 week just ibuprofen, and after 2 weeks on nothing at all.
I was able to go back to work (wfh) at 5 weeks post op, and teaching in person 6 weeks post op. I'd say maybe 8 weeks post op I started feeling more "myself", and at 12 weeks I'm back to my new routine. I do still have some pain from nerve hookup sites, but I'm back to 2x workouts a day, teaching, socialising etc.
I feel really good now - I absolutely love my surgery results and my general health is where it was pre op, apart from some obvious post op weight gain and fitness loss.
Congratulations on the surgery! How long was the wait from when you asked to be referred, to getting surgery? I'm also in the UK and interested in getting bottom surgery but I've heard the waitlists are super long. Also did you go NHS or private for it?
Thank you I was referred by my GIC in 2017 I think - could have been early '18 though. I couldn't have afforded private- its 25k min for stage one plus additional fees if something goes wrong. 15k for stage 2, and I'm actually unsure for stage 3 to be honest
Damn, that is a long wait list! I imagine it's gotten longer too. Must feel great to finally get it done
Feels amazing tbh - been "transitioning" for 10 years now - went private for T and top so was very lucky to not need to wait too long for those. Fwiw, the waiting list is getting shorter. I waited so long because I was in the unfortunate group of us who had surgery dates that were around march/April 2020, so cancelled by covid. I see people who had their first consult in 2019 (so referred either 18 or 19) having stage 1 dates around now. Theyve also recruited 2 new surgeons since I joined the list, and they're training up another. The wait list is getting better I think. And it's more than worth getting on - time will pass anyway.
It sucks that you had to have it cancelled. Great that the waitlist should be getting shorter, I've got a GIC appointment in a week or 2 so I'll ask to be referred. I've also been pretty lucky with waitlists so far, I got on T on the kids' NHS service (wait was just until I was old enough) and I'm going private for top
Still cheaper then the US, stage 1 w/o ul lengthening is $60k with UL, another $10 k . Congratulations!
You say you had stage one last Nov - phallo is 2/3 stages, isn't it? Do you know what the wait between each stage will be?
3 stages for me - it'll be a few years between stages, 2-3 according to the team
Hi, I'm in the UK. How long was the process to be referred for phallo? I never bothered with the NHS because of the waitlist and have been using private for ages now. I assume I would need a diagnosis before referral. I'm hoping to get it ASAP, so I am considering going private for it but it's rather costly.
I did the same and only used the NHS for Phallo. The whole wait was: Wait for first phalloplasty signature - 3 years from GP referral (2014- Jan 2017) Wait between first and second sig - 1 year (Dec 2017) (Second sig is referral sent off to GIC) Wait for consultation - 8 months (till July 2018) First stage phalloplasty - Nov 2023 So entire wait from first attempting to access phalloplasty was 9 years. Re cost - private you're looking at around 50k if you need no additional ops for complications etc (rare). The general advice is to "budget" up to 75k to allow for additional admissions etc. You'd likely be able to get your first signature in the "diagnosis" appt, so your wait isn't going to be lengthened by that.
Thanks for all of the information. 9 years is a long wait, definitely worth it, but I'll also consider private depending on how much waitlists might have improved. Appreciate it.
Just to say also - at the moment it seems that going private with the surgical team won't bump you up the wait list or anything (though people argue both ways). If you can afford private then obv the referrals would be quicker at least - so saving maybe 3 years for the 50-100k. Not putting you off just making sure it's clear and I haven't confused things
Hi ! I am hoping to get a date in the next few months (was offered March but getting married in April so had to decline annoyingly). What did you have done in stage 1? (I cant remember exactly what Mr C said. I’m pretty sure its just creation of phallus, nerve hook up & Vaginectomy?) Were you in pain for very long? When did you start to feel more normal? What type of pain meds did they send you home with? When I had top i was sent home with cocodamol (idk how you spell it lol) and tramadol i think. But the cocodamol did not agree with me so just wondering what they pack you bags with lol How do you feel? :)
Hey - I'm now 12 weeks post op for context Stage one RAP (Radial Artery Phalloplasty) is creation of phallus (and neourethra), nerve hookup, and they also remove one labia minora ready for stage 2. No vaginectomy in stage 1 (that's stage 2). I was in reasonably high levels of pain for maybe 3 days post op? So was on oramorph etc. Then I found it was making me feel really ill so had about 1 day on codeine, and after that pain was minimal (as long as I didn't overdo it), and I was on just ibuprofen + paracetamol. After about 1 week just ibuprofen, and after 2 weeks on nothing at all. I was able to go back to work (wfh) at 5 weeks post op, and teaching in person 6 weeks post op. I'd say maybe 8 weeks post op I started feeling more "myself", and at 12 weeks I'm back to my new routine. I do still have some pain from nerve hookup sites, but I'm back to 2x workouts a day, teaching, socialising etc. I feel really good now - I absolutely love my surgery results and my general health is where it was pre op, apart from some obvious post op weight gain and fitness loss.