Spiro prescription before HRT?

[Hesitant]

Not quite sure if this is the right forum to put this but I figure it's no big deal.

Though I'm done with puberty (I'm almost 22) I'm noticing that I'm still masculinizing, especially with increases in facial and body hair. In the last 3 months my beard has started migrating down my neck fairly quickly and other body hair is becoming thicker. Obviously this bothers me and I'm a bit concerned about the idea of having to wait 3 more months in order to get a prescription for HRT.  I also would not be against killing my libido stone cold dead. <_< Plus I'm not sure I want to start HRT right away so I'd like to slow things down if I can to give me more time to decide.

I know that generally you have to be in therapy for 3 months before you can get a letter for HRT but (this may be a dumb question) is it possible to get a prescription for spiro before that?

[UCBerkeleyPostop]

Anything is possible but I think prescribing Spiro would be contrary to the Standards of Care.

[cynthialee]

The 3 months waiting period for HRT is not a long wait. I understand your fear of more masculinization though.

Talk to your prescribing doctor about it, the worst he can say is no.

Once you get the HRT letter it is not uncommon for our doctors to start us on spiro or other anti androgen for a period of time before they introduce estrogenes. So starting spiro first is not a bad idea.

As always, please, please, please do not DIY. Go the safer route which would be proper medical oversight.

[Isabelle]

I know that generally you have to be in therapy for 3 months before you can get a letter for HRT

I don't think that spiro on its own would be considered hormone replacement therapy, as it doesn't replace any hormones, it just antagonizes the testosterone receptors. You should be allowed to start that just by asking your GP (informed consent) just read up on it, take the latest version of the standards of care, demonstrate you know what you're doing and you'll be sorted.

[A]

Therapy is recommended, but -stated- as not a requirement for HRT. Even full HRT is possible to be obtained through simple informed consent and maybe 1-2 meetings if you find the right place. I personally do think the therapy is useful, but what I think is irrelevant.

Through this, I think it would be entirely possible, depending on the professional/team, to ask to have an anti-androgen while you have therapy, even if they're not an informed consent place. That way, knowing that you're not masculinising anymore, or at least not as fast, you can invest yourself into therapy more, and feel less urgency. I think that's the trap with usual therapy programs. They give you nothing until you have the go-ahead, so of course, anyone would walk in there thinking less of genuinely settling gender issues, and more of how to get the damned letter as quickly as possible.

[Isabelle]

"The three months are required, and -stated- as not a requirement for HRT."

I don't get it..

[A]

"Therapy is recommended, but -stated- as not a requirement for HRT."

I edited my post. Sorry, that didn't make sense. I wasn't paying enough attention.

[Isabelle]

Oh no worries I was reading it going ".... Wait what?" lol

[LilDevilOfPrada]

Well i know the feeling so i figured I would post, Well it had to wait the 3 months to and for me that meant i had a 7 cm growth and my hands widened but i had no choice. Sadly you must wait 3 months not just for estrogen but also T blockers. Then again I am in South Africa and i was also required to do 2 different 4 hour personality and mental assessment tests before i could get any medicine, I suppose maybe try find a gender clinic and see if there is a way to block sooner.