I've got no time and a very low opinion of a bible bashing doctor who let's their beliefs get in the way of treating a patient impartially. It smacks of wrong career choice and a demonstration of limited understanding and compassion. "You're Fired!"
Blood work and general health checks are available and sensible for anyone on hrt, legit or otherwise. Just because you're diy does not mean you can't keep your doctor in the loop. It's actually sensible to inform your doctor. It might not be seen favourably but it will mean that any medication that your doctor prescribes will take into account that you are already taking hormones and potentially avoid any interactions between anything they might prescribe for other ailments. It may also prompt them towards giving you more specific health checks and information should they have it. Folks should also familiarise themselves with symptoms of blood clots etc to ensure speedy treatment should any issues arise. Staying fit and active should also be up there on your list of priorities as this can go some way in helping keep issues at bay. NO SMOKING!
I doubt anyone would be specifically jealous of the actual diy but they might be of the fact that they've had to jump through hoops and bear their soles and sometimes even tell a few porky pies to get a script shun, but a diy er didn't.
Sorry Stephe but what's different between your doctors approach and that of an informed diy er. "Optional blood work, you know your T is through the floor" How? and is that necessarily a good thing, a little T is required for balance I think I remember.... I dare say some diy ers are in the closet, nothing wrong with that. I'd also say there's one or two who are put off going through the system for other reasons. "Shopping around for a doc" I wonder if that's what Michael Jackson did. Is a doctor who's a push over or an easy touch really someone who's going to separate you from any risks with hrt, come to that is blood work every 6 months adequate. Blood work's a bit like vehicle mot testing here in the uk. The minute you drive out of the garage/test centre it's no longer relevant. There's nothing to say the second the needle is removed from your vein that an issue might start or be building in the background, grapefruit anyone? "A GP with some brains" is that short for an endocrinologist. Small town, doctor nearing retirement, christian, small population.....
Solid information from people like endo's expert in this area should be easily available without necessarily going to see them. It should be accompanied by recommendation that a diy approach is not ideal. Here say and opinion from the general population should be discouraged (like it is at Susan's)
It's a little short sited to think that people wont diy just because they don't have any solid information. I dare say it's been the cause of some deaths that could have been avoided if the situation was a bit less.... starchy and secretive. It might even be useful for that small town christian doc nearing retirement cos he/she still think a transexual has both sets of uglies
