That stupid (but apparently necessary) letter!!!!

[yellowsub11]

So I'm a bit nervous for my spouse today... last week her therapist hinted that she may be getting her referral letter for HRT at this weeks appointment. (Told her she should make an appointment with a doctor but Ugh! how do you do that without having the letter in hand!) So my love is on her way to her therapist right now and is soooo nervous not knowing if she is really going to get it or not and also knowing that if she doesn't she is just going to be devastated!

Why do they make it such a hoop to jump through. The new standard of care clearly states that you should not have to have a letter anymore so WTF! That apparently doesn't matter here..  Everywhere we tried to get her HRT in the medical community we were turned away if we did not have that precious letter..  I just don't get it..  I know we can DYI.. but she wants to do this under a doctors supervision.. with regular blood tests etc..

And don't even get me started on the letter(s) (yes plural!) needed for the surgery(s)!!! you can have metal spheres the size of golf balls implanted under your skin without a letter and plastic surgery to make you look like a cat with out a letter but oh, you want a more feminine nose? You'll need a letter for that... it's so f-ed up... Argh... sorry.. rant over..

[yellowsub11]

/devastated... 

no letter.... not for 2 more weeks.. Therapist said OH! well.. I figured you'd have to wait a month or two to get in to see a doctor.... grrrr... whatever... this is a HUGE metroplex.. there are plenty of doctors.. I had already found her a place that would see her next week as long as she had a letter..

Don't they get it?  That by the time someone is this ready, they are READY damn it!  Therapist says she's not a "gatekeeper" .. like bloody hell..

sigh....

[spacial]

Hi Yellowsub,

Really sorry to hear of your frustrations.

I assume you live in Canada, though not sure which part. But hopefully there will be some here who might have some suggestions to offer. I know we have a number of Canadian members.

But one thing I've learnt here is never give up. No matter how much it seems you're being ground down, never give up.

[Jayr]

Wow. she's an ass.

A letter isn't that hard to write. My therapist actually wrote mine while I was with him,
listening to me and asking me questions... Took him 20 minutes on his laptop.

[Jayr]

Are you Canadian???
Do you live in Quebec??

If so, I can let you know about my therapist.
Only saw him twice, he's expensive but he doesn't play around.
Gets the job done fast.

[yellowsub11]

Oh thank you but no - we're in good 'ol Dallas, Texas... pretty far from Canada I'm afraid... 

[JessicaH]

Hello, Yellowsub.  Yesterday, I set an appointment with Dr. Ridley and the earliest I could get was April 23rd.  I was really impressed with how nice and professional the lady was that answered the phone and spoke with me.   I can give you info on two other Dr's in Garland that are well know for prescribing HRT.

[Zumbagirl]

Oh thank you but no - we're in good 'ol Dallas, Texas... pretty far from Canada I'm afraid... 

Dallas, why am I not surprised lol. I really dislike therapists that act like gate keepers. Did your spouse do the whole 3 months of therapy bit? I had to do 3 months before I could get referred but I know a lot of things have changed since I was doing this.

[yellowsub11]

Hey Jessica! I will totally take those names! Thank you SO much.

Hey Zumba girl - she's been seeing this therapist since early November so about 2.5 months every week... so I guess the end of the month would be three months.. 

It was just such a crap thing for the therapist to tell her last week - You should go ahead and make an appointment with a doctor.. and then NOT give her a letter this week. I mean what if we had made that appointment! She was afraid too until she actually had the letter in hand but I had found an office that was LGBT friendly that said they had several trans patients but that they did require a letter from a therapist. But they could have seen her next week so good thing we didn't make that appointment after all..

[spacial]

Oh thank you but no - we're in good 'ol Dallas, Texas... pretty far from Canada I'm afraid... 

That was entirely my fault yellowsub. I could see you needed some support but I really only know about the UK, which is where I am. I checked your old posts and came across one that referenced Canada. If I'd spent a bit more time I would have seen the one where you alluded to Texas.

I am so sorry.

But hopefully, there will be some who can support you. I know we have a number of Texan members.

Take care and good luck.

Jill

[JessicaH]

GEAR (GENDER EDUCATION, ADVOCACY & RESOURCES) DALLAS, TEXAS
Nelson-Tebedo Community Clinic, 4012 Cedar Springs, Dallas TX 75219
Phone 214.528.2336 | Fax 214.528.8436
3rd Monday of each month, 6:00 p.m. - Low-cost lab work and access to medical staff (referral may be required at a
doctor's discretion) - to schedule an appointment, please contact 214-528-2336
Transgender Helpline: Every Wednesday, 6 – 9 p.m. Please call 214-528-0144
http://www.rcdallas.org/index.php?q=node/157
GEAR (Gender Education, Advocacy & Resources) was created as a program of the Resource Center Dallas in 2005, and is
the first formalized transgender program sponsored by a major gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) organization
in North Texas. GEAR is dedicated to empowering transgender men and women within the community through educational
and social opportunities, outreach and medical services. GEAR focuses on increasing the well-being of all transgender
people, their families and their friends.
Yahoo Group: DallasGEAR@yahoogroups.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gear_RCD#!/profile.php?id=1541786914 twitter @GEAR_Dallas
kaliscion@->-bleeped-<-: The doctor who serves the GEAR program has always been Dr. Jaime Vazquez, but he picked up another
volunteer physician to help them take on more patients some months ago. Program is still only available once a month and
the waiting list for new patients is several months long.


FELESHIA PORTER, MS, LPC, DALLAS, TEXAS
3530 Forest Lane #188 * Dallas, Texas 75234
Office (214) 904-8222 Cell (214) 454-8144
http://feleshiaporter.com - Feleshia@aol.com - $110/hr or sliding scale.
*not informed consent - but non-gatekeeping therapist in an area with few resources*
"she will not gatekeep and provide letters rapidly. Works with Dr. Karen King" - kaliscion@->-bleeped-<-

ANDREA COZBY, LPC, DALLAS, TEXAS
3530 Forest Lane, Suite 189, Dallas, Texas, 75234
(214) 912-4872 or (214) 727-4931 info@creatingwomenswellness.org
http://www.creatingwomenswellness.org/id69.html
*not informed consent - but non-gatekeeping therapist in an area with few resources*
"she will not gatekeep and provide letters rapidly. Works with Dr. Karen King" - kaliscion@->-bleeped-<-

DR. KAREN KING, DALLAS, TEXAS
9323 Garland Rd Ste 111, Dallas, TX, 75218 Phone: (214) 328-7400 Fax: (214) 328-7680
http://www.wellness.com/dir/2450389/family-doctor/tx/dallas/karen-king-do
"Dr. King will do the work right away, but she will not prescribe any hormones for a smoker, and insists you be quit (due to
her unwillingness to associate with the increased risk of stroke from the hormones). Both are very helpful about helping out
with extending or renewing prescriptions in an emergency." - kaliscion@->-bleeped-<-

DR. APRIL DAY, FAMILY MEDICAL CENTER, GARLAND, TEXAS
601 Clara Barton Boulevard, Suite 140 Garland, TX 75042 (972)272-6561
Anon says: "The staff and nurses in Dr. Day's office are all great. Since I started seeing her they've slipped up with my name
and pronouns maybe once, but generally they all call me by my chosen name (even though it's not the name on my medical
records) and treat me with the same respect and professionalism that they would any other patient."
Anon: "Family doctor who will also prescribe HRT; does not require a therapist's letter."

[yellowsub11]

@Jessica - Thanks chica - I emailed you some updates on some of those docs since I have some newer info on some of them.  If I find out anything else for the Dallas area who should I tell so that it can get updated in the wiki?

Thanks for all the support yesterday everyone! Today is a brand new day!