#dr.rockmore

[k-con]

I was just about to ask who you had top surgery with, and I saw that you answered that. I heard he and Dr. Ting get a lot of positive feedback - and I may have to reconsider if it becomes impossible for me to get ahold of Dr. Bluebond-Langner, but I don't think it's a decision I'd regret now that you mentioned how it worked for you. Do you happen to know if his policies changed since you had top surgery?

Hey, thank you for getting in touch!!!!

For those who don’t know, my surgeon was Dr. Rockmore out of Albany, NY. Although I had surgery more than 4 years ago, I was in touch with the office last Fall (2017) for my revision.... and it sounds like the all the policies are still the same:

Accepts insurance

Payment due 2 weeks prior to the procedure

Pre-op and Post-op appointments included in surgical fee

Free revisions

Informed consent

The office is really easy to get ahold of and great to work with. Highly recommend. If you want to chitchat further, don’t hesitate to give a holler!!! 

[k-con]

Hi - it's the anon from before (the one asking about Rockmore). Thanks for the reply! One of my main goals is to stay in state and beyond that i'm just looking for someone who does a good job and cares for his/her patients well being. I've read some horror stories about people being butchered and/or left to fend for themselves after the fact.... i'm going to start lining up consults, your suggested questions will help a lot! Thanks again!

Hey @soveryeasilyamused, appreciate the follow up! Would love to hear how your consultation process goes if ya care to stay in touch :-) 

Fortunately for you, NY state is home to a lot of great surgeons throughout the capital region as well as in the city and beyond. In this day and age, most of the providers offering top surgery are pretty qualified. Always ask to see a surgeon’s portfolio to get a better idea of their results. 

And I hear ya regarding a few surgeons leaving patients to fend for themselves. That’s why I always recommend people ask their prospective surgeons about revisions and follow-up appointments. If the surgeon you’re considering can’t offer free revisions or follow-up appointments, IMHO it’s a red flag and a sign that patient satisfaction isn’t a number 1 priority.

If a surgeon can’t get it right the first time, doesn’t care about your long-term contentment, wants to charge for basic care and/or claims revisions are an added expense, steer clear. If a surgeon tries to tack on additional “cosmetic” fees or is trying to charge you extra to keep your nipples/get nipple grafts, understand that that’s not normative practice and run away; it’s exploitative. 

There’s so many reputable surgeons out there... if someone gives you a bad or icky feeling, no shame in going elsewhere. Never be afraid to say “no thank” you and walk away. Your body, your choice. Find a surgeon who can respect that, rather than one whose in it for the dough. 

<3 Sending love and positive consultation vibes your way <3

[k-con]

Hi - your results are amazing! I'm looking into Rockmore for top surgery early next year (he's almost literally in my backyard) and found your before/afters on tbucket.... was just wondering what your experience was with him. Was he your primary choice, or where there other surgeons you considered? Any advice would be welcome, lol, thanks!

Hi, much thanks for reaching out! Appreciate the kind words. Rockmore was right down the road from me too… nice to hear from neighbors on the net!!! 

When considering surgeons, I was initially all over the place- I was open to travel but also willing to stay local, I was debating “keyhole” but also open to DI, I was contemplating paying out of pocket as opposed to fighting my transphobic insurance policy at the time, and I was wondering if utilizing a surgeon who required a therapists letter would vibe with me.  

Ultimately, I ended up consulting with several surgeons in the Northeast (Costas, Bartlett, Rockmore), met 2 others at a convention, and inquired with 3 other “big” name surgeons in North America (who I ultimately opted out of consults with)… and that really helped me clarify my wants, needs, hopes, and expectations. 

After meeting a sampling of surgeons, it was clear to me who stood out… and that was Rockmore. His bedside manner was on point, his technique was my style, and the fact that he was proficient in multiple modes of “top surgery” really drew me in. When I went to my free consultation, I was pretty impressed- he was able to personably answer all of my questions, his price was right, he offered free revisions, his location was proximal, he didn’t have an especially long waiting list, his experience was ample and he operated via informed consent. 

My advice would be to set up several consultations. Consults can be done in-person, over the phone or online… and many surgeons offer FREE consultations. Go in with an open mind- the less expectation, the better. Getting a feel for how each surgical office operates and whether or not the surgeon vibes with you is really important. Consultations also give you a range of price points to choose from, if that’s a motivating factor, and help you get a feel for the experience without actually having to commit. 

To each consultation, I brought with me a series of questions:

has anyone died?

likelihood of developing a hematoma/ seroma?

skin necrosis- how to recognize dying skin?

other surgical complications?

how long should swelling occur before consulting a medical professional?

can i contact office about complications?

how far in advance should one quit smoking?

fasting before surgery?

how many additional pre-op appointments before procedure?

is blood work/physical needed for surgery?

how does the procedure work?

scar locations/ scarring/ scar treatments?

revisions?

how long under general anesthesia?

how long is the surgery itself?

recovery timeline?

post-op recovery questions: medications, showering, driving, post-op visits, drains, dog walking, class, sex.

is total cost including anesthesiologist, facility fee, surgeons fee, consultation/post-op follow-up fees and future revisions?

how many patients require revisions?

are there ways to lower the cost of the surgery?

how much of cost is required upon booking/before surgery?

how far in advance is payment due?

And after all my consultations, I was able to compare and contrast the pros and cons based on my experience, the general vibe, and the answers to the aforementioned questions… and that really helped me make sense of the whole process. Take the time to explore your options and enjoy the journey! 

If ya wanna chat further, don’t hesitate to give a holler! 

[k-con]

do you know any other patient of dr rockmore? do you have links to them cause i wanna see more of his patients

I know lots of Rockmore folks. Have you tried Google? Or reddit? Or transbucket? Or taken advantage of a free consultation with Dr. Rockmore to gain access to his in-person portfolio? 

Off the top of my head, a handful of folks come to mind. 

Folks on instagram:

@benjaminbuddon11 (pics here)

@blake_santoro (here and throughout their instagram)

@brodundant (here and throughout their instagram)

@clockwork_punk (pics here, instagram deactivated)

@loganmerrill4l (here and throughout their instagram)

@mimzthemagnificent (pics here)

@mx_lukas (pics here)

@whooleansoto (here and throughout their instagram)

Folks on tumblr:

@adamgalford (not yet, but soon)

@aliensphynx

@carterstransitionlog (pics here or @askatrans)

@dfghld (more info here)

@i-am-not-a-hero360 (pics here)

@lone-shark (pics here)

@nek0kun (pics here or @transitionblawg)

@phaymos (pics here)

@whiteflagwarrior (pics here)

Hope that helps :-)

[k-con]

If the anon from earlier wants, I can post 1.25 year update photos of my top surgery. My scars have healed really well since the last pic I posted.

To the anon from earlier asking about Dr.Rockmore peepz! 

[k-con]

who else has gone to dr. rockmore?

Off the top of my head…

Folks on instagram:

@benjaminbuddon11 (pics here)

@blake_santoro (here and throughout their instagram)

@brodundant (here and throughout their instagram)

@clockwork_punk (pics here, instagram deactivated)

@loganmerrill4l (here and throughout their instagram)

@mx_lukas (pics here)

@whooleansoto  (here and throughout their instagram)

Folks on tumblr:

@adamgalford (not yet, but soon)

@aliensphynx

@carterstransitionlog (pics here or @askatrans) 

@dfghld (more info here)

@i-am-not-a-hero360 (pics here)

@lone-shark (pics here) 

@nek0kun (pics here or @transitionblawg)

@phaymos (not yet, but soon)

@whiteflagwarrior (pics here)

… And many more!  

[k-con]

Would you say, generally speaking, that Dr rockmore can be trusted as a doctor?

Yes. In comparison to the other surgeons I consulted with, absolutely.  

Dr. Rockmore strives to keep his prices reasonable and make surgery attainable for all. He accepts insurance and isn’t scheduling out years in advance solely because he understands the urgency and need. He operates via informed consent and provides FREE revisions, consultations, and pre/post-op visits. 

He’s not trademarking terms like “ftm top surgery” under the guise of “compassion,” nor is he sending out binary and exclusionary questionnaires whilst trying to gatekeep the community.  He doesn’t have restrictive BMI requirements, consultation fees, or revision fees and he certainly doesn’t demand “recommendation letters.”

In my book, Dr. Rockmore has been nothing but legit. Everything about his practice is trustworthy and straightforward; there were no hidden “cosmetic fees” or strings attached… everything about my experience was on point!!!

[k-con]

Hey, I know it's probably been asked but I couldn't find it while scanning through your top surgery tag. How long did you have to wait for your top surgery? Was there a waitlist you were put on? I know you went through informed consent, but did you still have to wait awhile? If I paid out of pocket like you did would that make the wait period shorter? Okay, that was less of a question and more of a series. sorry 'bout that.

Hi friend,

Good to hear from you! And thanks for all the questions, I love chatting :-)

To answer your question: I had surgery less than a month after my consultation. Dr. Rockmore operates 2 days a week, which means he operates in a timely fashion… no wait list necessary, regardless of how you are paying. Dr. Rockmore’s office is really great at scheduling, so I highly doubt you’d have to wait anymore than a month or two, with or without insurance.

If you’re especially curious, you could always call the office and ask. They’re super friendly and I can guarantee you that they would be more than willing to answer any questions you may have. The number is [phone] and the secretaries are in from 8AM to 4:30ish EST Monday through Friday.

:-)