Terrifying and humiliating experience donating plasma.

[Inkwe Mupkins]

I went to donate plasma for the first time here in Kansas City, MO. I am not legally male but I put male because I am male..I dont need a paper to tell me who I am. Anywhos, all was good untill we went in the back for a physical. I have had no surgerys but Ive been on hormones almost 2 years.

guy: "lift up both shirts so I can hear your heart
me: "I don't feel comfortable with that can you listen threw my shirt"
guy: "no, you need to lift you shirt up"
me: "im fat, got rolls and stuff, and I got big man boobs"
guy: "Thats okay, lift your shirt up"
me: "I don't really want to, I have gynecomastia...like I got big man boobs"
guy: "If you wont lift your shirt you cant donate"

So I lifted me shirt, binder and all....it felt so degrading, especially because I went in as male. I have large nipples, but my chest isn't very women shaped. I needed the 40 to pay my aunt money I owe her. I don't know, I feel disgusted. I've never had to do anything like that in front of someone who didn't know I was trans. I don't think I'll go back. I've never even lifted my shirt completely for a gyno, not even for my endocrinologist, let alone some guy wanting to listen to my heart to donate plasma.

I just feel UH.

[tvc15]

WTF?! Why did you have to actually expose your body to him? There's no way he couldn't have listened through your shirt, or at the very least just put his hand under your shirt/binder without making you actually lift either of them up. That really sucks dude, sorry that happened to you.

[Adam (birkin)]

That totally sucks. I'm sorry you had to go through that. But try not to let it be a dysphoric thing, because he would only be like that if he thought you were 100% male (aka, man boobs are OK to see but woman boobs aren't).

[wheat thins are delicious]

Sorry you had to go through that man.

I'm curious though.  From a health perspective if there is a difference in listening through a stethoscope metal to skin vs metal to binder.  My doc always listens through my binder and has never said that he needed to be on skin.

[Nygeel]

Sorry you had to go through that man.

I'm curious though.  From a health perspective if there is a difference in listening through a stethoscope metal to skin vs metal to binder.  My doc always listens through my binder and has never said that he needed to be on skin.

I think the binder doesn't conduct sound as good...and with me there's a big gap between my binder and my chest (at least where a doctor might listen for a heart beat).

[thefire]

Wow he just sounds like an incredible prick! I've never had to undress to have my lungs & heart listened to. They can listen through a t-shirt.

[Inkwe Mupkins]

The guy seemed nice, but when it came to that point I really really was uncomfortable and he wasn't budging. He didn't know I was wearing a binder as I lifted my shirt, binder, and shirt together. When I was at the endo I had my binder on and he listened to my heart just fine.

I know they try to detour people on drugs trying to get easy money but I dont see what my chest could do in aiding that. It was kinda awkward afterwards. I don't know if he thought I was male after that or not. But that was my biggest fear. Having to expose a part of my body that is indefinitely female to someone that didn't know about my trans status.

[Arch]

Ugh.

Try a different plasma center?

[Morgan.]

I've always only had doctors listen through my binder, if not my shirt. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience bud. 

[anibioman]

thats annoying especially since my doctor felt my heart under my binder but just stuck her hand up but didnt make me lift my shirt and didnt lift any of my brothers shirts either.

[AJarrah]

Gah...that's awful. I'm sorry that happened to you. Keep on moving forward though.

[lilacwoman]

it would be interesting to know what reason these doctors had to stick their hands under your binders - just to confirm their suspicions?
Abdomen fat is a sign of early general obesity so checking that might be a way of checking if general health is good enough to allow giving blood but that fat doesn't get hidden by a binder does it?

[AJarrah]

it would be interesting to know what reason these doctors had to stick their hands under your binders - just to confirm their suspicions?
Abdomen fat is a sign of early general obesity so checking that might be a way of checking if general health is good enough to allow giving blood but that fat doesn't get hidden by a binder does it?

If binders are supposed to hide fat, mine is doing it wrong.

[Arch]

I wish I had something better to offer than what I said earlier. You needed the money--I'm assuming that you got it. You did what you had to do so that you could fulfill your obligations. This is no small accomplishment, given what it cost you.

He caught you completely off guard. But if you ever have to do it again, you can be better prepared, at least. You can rehearse what you'll say and do.

[TheAwesomePrussia]

I had a bad experience trying to donate plasma as well... Though, in my case they wouldn't let me. I put male on the form, but they required identification. Here in Tennessee there's no way to change your driver's license without having had surgery (and even then it's hard), and I had to explain myself right at the front desk. After that I was pulled into the back, the man flipped open a book and told me they wouldn't accept donations from anyone who was transsexual. Despite the face that when I read the paper, it specifically stated "individuals who have had a sex change operation" and simply stated that there were specific regulations that they had to follow, but nothing stating that I couldn't donate. It was infuriating to say the least...But I can't imagine what it's like being forced to remove your shirt... Even my doctors take my heart rate with my binder on, they've never had a problem doing so. So I see no reason why the plasma place couldn't have done the same.

[Inkwe Mupkins]

Here in MO you need a court order to get your drivers license changed....they dont but m or f, they spell out the entire word and I just happened to get black sharpie on the FE. My bad.

Don't have insurance but I'm wondering if I can get insurance as male, then go to a doctor I don't know, and ask about treatments of gynecomastia because my moobs look exactly like level 8 gynecomastia...many insurance companies will cover surgery related to gynecomastia because its considered reconstructive surgery. So maybe I'd be able to con someone into it, unless I have to strip completely nude, then I'm SOL.

If insurance will cover it for a bio male than why the f**k wont it cover me. %&@@***&%^)#&@(*%&*#($  <cuss words

[lilacwoman]

Blame Janice Raymond the sicko dyke for telling the US government that those awful pervert transsexuals must not be allowed to mess with nature or get taxpayers money to help sort their minds, bodies and lives.

[TheAwesomePrussia]

Yea.... I carved the F out of the ID... But that doesn't change how it comes up on file. And they demanded an explanation, or they wouldn't let me donate. In the end they didn't let me anyway.
And I know exactly what you mean... Right now I'm having an issue with getting a hysterectomy. I've got a letter from my therapist for one, but so far I've been told the only way for me to get one is to go to California or Canada. Every GYN I've talked to refuses to because I'm under 40 years old...and they said my letter was bull->-bleeped-<-.

[Arch]

Right now I'm having an issue with getting a hysterectomy. I've got a letter from my therapist for one, but so far I've been told the only way for me to get one is to go to California or Canada.

What if you do some networking and talk to other guys in your general region? You don't have to go to California for a hysto, even if you're under forty. That's bull.

[LordKAT]

I have never attended a state university but I use their health system. Perhaps you could try something like that. You need to keep checking since I got mine but not in CA or Canada.