Patient Testimonials

 We’ve posted a few Patient Testimonials on this page. Over the years some of our patients have reached out with posts of their experiences with Dr.Meltzer and our staff and their stay at the HonorHealth Greenbaum Specialty Surgical Hospital. This also includes tips about their stay here in Scottsdale. Hopefully their comments and experiences will be of value to other patients as well.

If you’d like to write a patient testimonial to be displayed on this page, please send it by email to rachaelg@themeltzerclinic.com
Thank you!

A 2021 Update to my Testimonial

If you read my previous testimonial you will see I was planning on having Breast Augmentation, Lip Augmentation and upper lip lift with Dr. Meltzer in Portland Oregon in November (2020).  I did that and I am so glad I did.  I love everything he did.  He used 650 CC Mentor Memory Gel implants through the nipple.  I have virtually no scars and they feel totally natural.  My lip augmentation was with silicone tubes (unlike injections that you have to redo every 6 months these are permanent) inserted in channels he made inside my lips from inside my mouth.  My lips are now wonderful and with the upper lip lift they look fantastic.

In April (2021) I went to Scottsdale and had full facial feminization.  Eyebrow bone reduction (he brought down the overhang above my eyes so it looks more feminine).  He redid my nose and now I have the cutest nose with a little swoop on the end. I have had so many compliments and it’s only been just over a month.  Usually the swelling and bruising take longer to go away but for some reason I am just lucky (or could it be due to his amazing skill).

He did fat transfer to my cheeks and now I look a lot younger and I actually have cheeks.  He did a mid-face lift and chin reduction so now even that part looks better.  I intend to go back to him again in November (2021) and have my neck and lower face done too.  Dr. Toby Meltzer is the greatest plastic surgeon I have ever met.  He is kind and his skill is beyond anything else I have ever seen. 

Alicia Jane Ryder

May 2021

I first met Dr Meltzer In Portland Oregon in 2008 for a consultation.  In august on 2009 I returned to the Meltzer Clinic for vaginoplasty.  My surgery was amazing and my recover was so smooth.  My results were perfection.  Dr Meltzer was so kind, warm and approachable during my time under his care.  And I have been beyond word as to how pleased I have been all these years. 

In 2010 I began to research having some facial feminization surgeries to include scalp advancement, brow reduction and brow lift.  I also wanted to have a neck and face lift to refresh. I had my consult in Scottsdale in February of 2020 and within 2 weeks we were in a total shut down with the pandemic.  I went ahead with my plans to have my surgeries with Dr Meltzer and did so in February of 2021.  I am now 7 weeks post op and love my results.

The staff at Honor Health Greenbaum Speciality Hospital were amazing.  The facility is beautiful and even the food was amazing.  I am so grateful.  One of the nursed had lived in Maryland at one time (my home) and we had several conversations during my 5 days in the hospital. She was amazing. And I had a great view of Camelback Mountain from my hospital bed.

Dr Meltzer is my hero.  He has now twice changed my life with the brilliance and quality of his work.  In my experience with all my surgeries with Dr Meltzer my pain was almost nothing.  I was off all pain medications within days of surgery and prior to leaving Arizona. After my vaginoplasty 20 years ago I was going out to museums, shopping and out to diner the next week  enjoying the beauty of Portland where he was located at that time.

To anyone considering Dr Meltzer for these important surgeries I can not more strongly recommend his work.  My facial work is healing amazingly and I think i look so much younger and refreshed.  My vaginoplasty 20 years ago was life changing. 

Dr Meltzer and his staff are so very caring, professional and the quality of work is beyond reproach.  In my opinion he is the very best there was then, and is now for gender affirming surgeries.  He is a blessing to the trans community.

I am forever grateful and so please with my decision to have Dr Meltzer be my surgeon. He is an artist.

Sincerely,

Jillian S.  
4/20/21

I had my Vaginoplasty and Labiaplasty done by Dr. Toby Meltzer. Vaginoplasty a year ago and Labiaplasty 2 months ago. I am extremely happy with the results.  I did extensive research before choosing Dr. Meltzer.  Sensation was one of my chief concerns and from my research I found out he pioneered the techniques used by other doctors to preserve sensation.  I had my 2 surgeries done at The Greenbaum Specialty Hospital at Honor Health in Scottsdale Arizona. 

     Dr. Meltzer’s staff as well as the staff at the hospital all are wonderful caring people, they make you feel like family.  All of my needs were taken care of and I felt as if I was their only patient the both times I was in the hospital.  Dr. Meltzer’s staff takes care of you from preoperative education through postoperative follow up and beyond.  Friendships with several of his staff are still ongoing.  Dr. Meltzer personally takes the time with you whenever you talk with him.   He understands how difficult it can be to understand the process and takes the time with you until all of your questions have been answered and you feel comfortable with everything.

     In November I am having Breast Augmentation, Lip Lift and Lip Augmentation done by Dr. Meltzer in Portland Oregon.  He opened a clinic in Portland last year and does surgery at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital in Northwest Portland.  I trust Dr. Meltzer completely and plan on having several other procedures done by him in the future.  I totally appreciate his skill and artistry as the results of the surgery are virtually perfect as well as being totally functional in every way.  I am so glad I found him.  You will be too.

Alicia Jane Ryder

2019

I highly recommend that anyone searching for a gender reassignment surgeon consult with Dr. Ellie Zara Ley of the Meltzer Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ. She is a board certified plastic surgeon and micro-surgeon. In my opinion, she added the finishing touches to an already highly skilled group of professionals offering surgical healthcare to the transgender community. I cannot say enough positive comments about my personal experience with her and her commitment to quality healthcare and gender reassignment surgery. For me, Dr. Ley was the tipping point in my decision to have phalloplasty surgery with urethra lengthening verses the metoidioplasty. I also think it helps that she is an out transwoman who “gets it” and who cares about transmen and our success with surgery.

Dr. Burt Webb, a board certified OBGYN and urogynecology specialist, has assisted Dr. Toby Meltzer with genital surgery for many years. He performed the full hysterectomy and vaginectomy during my surgery. It’s been two months post surgery and I have not experienced any abdominal pain or bleeding. I met with Dr. Webb the day before surgery, the morning before surgery and the day after surgery. Then a month later he called to follow up.

After the first surgery, Dr. Ley and NP Megan checked on me each morning while I was in the hospital. The Greenbaum Surgery Center staff and The Meltzer Clinic staff have been responsive and timely in their follow up and aftercare. I still have several procedures, which will extend into 2019, but I’m confident that taking my time and letting my body heal in between procedures is the best decision for me.

I was 58 years old when I had the first of the many stages on Jan 30, 2018, which included the full hysterectomy, vaginectomy (with Dr. Webb) and groin flap (suitcase handle). I had very little bleeding during and after surgery. I had to stay an extra night because I forgot to let the medical staff know that I was sensitive to adhesive, which resulted in blistering along the incision of the groin flap donor site (not in the genital area). All is healing well.

The surgery was on Tuesday; I started walking around the room on Thursday and was released Friday afternoon. I had a paid companion helper pick me up at the surgery center and take me to my RV. She made sure I was settled in and able to take care of myself before she left. I began taking showers the day after I was released from the hospital. It was easy to take care of the incisions and the surgery site. I walked outside a little more every day, which helped with my rapid recovery. I went back to work 28 days post surgery.

Two weeks post-surgery the urethra catheter was removed and a week later the supra catheter (used to drain the bladder through the lower abdomen) was removed. So far, the catheters have been the most challenging and uncomfortable/painful part of the process. The urethra seems to have healed without any leaks or other complications. EXCEPT, when I pee, urine goes in all-different directs for several reasons; the flap is blocking my view so I can’t see the tip, I haven’t yet learned how to control the direction and the new urethra is still healing. So, basically I will still sit to pee until the urethra lengthening to the tip of the phallus in October 2018.

HOW I REDUCED MY EXPENSES: To help reduce the expenses of being in Scottsdale, AZ during the peak season, I decided to go through the surgeries unaccompanied by family or friends. I setup my RV in a local park for the next several months. I precooked and froze meals that I could easily prepare for myself. I stocked the refrigerator and signed onto instacart (grocery delivery service) for when I needed to restock perishables. I took a taxi to my appointments and used a home health care provider/companion after each procedure to make sure I was able to stay alone and take care of myself.

 

Craig

2018

“On Wednesday November 9, 2011 Dr. Meltzer finished something which started when I was a small child. My final step to becoming a physical woman. And he and his staff could not have done a better job.

I did very thorough research on who I was going to allow to change my body,
and every step I took came up Dr. Toby Meltzer. From my first consultation to my last visit before heading home, Dr. Meltzer his staff and the staff at Greenbaum made sure I was completely taken care of. As a matter of fact, on a scale of 1- 10, I would give them a 10.

My local physician said after looking at me, “it could not have looked better.”
She told me she wishes everyone who came to see her after surgery
looked as good as I do.

If you are looking for the best look no further than Dr. Toby Meltzer.”

Lauren

2/11/2012

“I couldn’t have asked for a better experience with Dr. Meltzer and his staff. Pre-operatively, through the surgeries, and post-operatively, they have been wonderful at answering all of my questions and making me feel more comfortable going into the surgeries, as well as providing post-operative support and guidance. I was particularly nervous going into the urethral extension as I had heard other guys’ encounters of having complications with their urethra (not necessarily with Dr. Meltzer, but with other surgeons; I was completely aware that Dr. Meltzer has a really low complication rate and that is one of the reasons I decided to have him do my surgeries). Dr. Meltzer did a great job at putting my mind at ease. I walked out of my pre-op appointment feeling completely assured that things would go well, and they did. To date, I have encountered no problems whatsoever with my urethra.

After getting back home, I encountered a yeast infection. Dr. Meltzer’s nurse, Tasha, did an awesome job following up with me via telephone every so often. My local doctor was going to be out of the office for a month after diagnosing my yeast infection. Tasha insisted I call her with any questions I have during that time. She said I could always call her with questions, but particularly since my doctor was going to be out of the office she made it a point to let me know she was available to answer questions.
While recovering from surgery in Scottsdale, only a few days post-op, I found myself unable to sleep due to excruciating pain when I would move around, so I was bed-ridden for the most part. I ended up having to call Dr. Meltzer in the early morning hours and he knew exactly what it was and made it a point to drop by the hotel later that day. It’s really nice to have a doctor who makes “house calls” when one is recovering from surgery. Dr. Meltzer’s drivers have been really great too. Not only have they been good at communicating changes to my appointment times and such, but they have gone above and beyond the call of duty. In returning to the hotel after having the mons resection (done as out-patient), his driver physically helped me out of the car, walked me into the hotel room and made sure I was comfortable before she left.
Given my experience with Dr. Meltzer and his staff, there is absolutely no way I would have ever considered going to a different surgeon. I honestly can’t say enough good things about Dr. Meltzer and his staff!”

Tyler R.

5-8-2011

“From my first meeting with Dr. Meltzer, at the Gender Odyssey Conference in Seattle in 2008, I was confident that I had not only made the right decision to select Dr. Meltzer as my surgeon, but also to move forward with bottom surgery [pedicle flap]. Because phalloplasty is often a contentious discussion topic amongst FtMs, and therefore difficult to discuss openly and honestly in support groups and on listservs, for fear of verbal attack from detractors in the community who believe the procedure to be unnecessary and inadequate, I am grateful to Dr. Meltzer and his amazing staff for their support, dedication and professionalism.”

Zander K.

5/7/2011

“In February of 2011, I experienced the most challenging and at the same time, the most gratifying and rewarding time in my life. At 66 years of age, I underwent SRS, FFS and breast augmentation. And the results are spectacular. Words cannot begin to describe how pleased I am. Dr. Meltzer is so much more than an accomplished surgeon – he is an artist. Because of him I am now a complete, functioning attractive woman. And throughout it all, Dr. Meltzer treated me with the utmost competence, caring, dignity, respect and most of all kindness. And his wonderful staff did likewise.”

JoAnne B.

5/2/2011

“You always feel like your Dr. Meltzer’s only patient. While in the hospital, I didn’t think he had any other patients, but being in his waiting room a few days later, I realized how many people he serves. I would have never known otherwise because he and the staff are always so present and all the attention is on you.”

Chris M.

4/29/2011