legnth of time for transition and surgery

[Elanore joey]

can someone give me rough idea of how long complete mtf would take to the point my body would be stable and having top and bottom surgery completed

i have only recently went to see my doctor and she said she will research some psychiatrists and then hopefully be referred (maximum for nhs is 6-8 weeks)

thank you for the help
i think i am ready to come out to my family and friends half of me is still scared but the other half of me wants to shout it from the roof tops

[kelly_aus]

How long is a piece of string?

It depends on many factors..

[Jenna Marie]

I think everyone is going to say it depends. It's smart to wait a while before having breast augmentation - like at least 2-3 years - because the implants look best if the breasts have stopped growing (ideally, it'd be more like 5 years).

I started transition in July 2009 and was finished with everything but GRS by June 2010; there are advantages and disadvantages to going that fast, but I ended up being glad I wasn't "in-between" all that long. (GRS took another two years because we had to save up the money.) HRT had made huge changes by even six months in. On the other hand, puberty generally lasts several years, so I expect I'm not done growing/changing yet.

[Devlyn]

Here's what's ahead of you, try to figure out how long each step will take you, and voila, there's your number! Hugs, Devlyn

https://www.susans.org/wiki/Category:Transitioning

[crystal louise]

  Hi, jenna maria.

I am a Transsexual myself and i am going through the same problems that you are experiencing it will pass just stand your ground and do not let others tell you other wise, as it is your life becouse if you are happy on the inside you will be happy on the outside i came out in 2010 and i have never looked back jenna i have never been so happy i new i was a from a very early period in my life but now when i go out i am so proud with myself in all my glory i.e when i am dressed in my bra tights nickers blouse skirt ear rings neckless bracelet rings female watch high heel shoe's hangbag  female overcoat and yes the most important part a gorgeous full face of makeup  i like wearing nice green's and brown's pink and purple eyeshadow black eyeliner and my lips i am always trying new culour's. I am so glad i realised that i was born a girl  i am just glad that i am a women ( female ) it's a wonderful life i just can not wait until i have my operation if you would like me to stand by you and help you in any way do not hesitate to contact me by email  crystal louise 

[Jenna Marie]

Crystal, you are a sweetheart, but I think you meant to write to the original poster.

(I've been living happily as an ordinary woman for three years now... haven't had any significant "trans issues" since GRS cured my dysphoria.)

[Elanore joey]

I just don't want to feel stuck between man and woman for 2 long but it does give me and my girlfriend time to plan cuz we are getting married as man and woman and then after I have completed transitioning we want to have like a renewal cerramony

I'd just like to say thanks to all you beautyful ladies and don't let anyone tell you otherwise

[Kate_H]

Hi   I transitioned in 2008 at 33 (going full-time, fully "out" etc) - got married to my partner later that year (we'd been together for 2 years before then, she was fully aware of my intentions, lol) 

Medical history:

2008 Start HRT
2009 BA
2009 Voice therapy (ongoing through 2011)
2010 FFS
2013 GRS (In June! :O )
2014 Hopefully voice surgery

Very much at my own pace as I felt comfortable.  The GRS via the NHS, effectively at a time of my choosing, I've been lucky

Good luck with your own transition x

[Elanore joey]

congratulations

did you find that at certain times you made massive leaps of progress ? this last month iv got to point of just about ready to come out but im still having doubts about things one of which is my size im 6ft 6inch and i feel i would never be able to wear heels as i would be un-naturally large

[Kate_H]

Yes.. that initial coming out to work and the world seemed to happen so fast... I honestly look back and am amazed at how brave/nuts I was back then, lol

I'm just over 6ft, which I'm self conscious of.. but having overheard comments of "she's tall" I've felt better, but if it makes *you* feel better, I have a friend who mentored me through my transition.  She's 6ft 7.  I had NO IDEA that she was trans. Really. Honestly 100%.  She was a fab encouraging female ally to me, thats all I knew.  When she came out to me in the lead up to my coming-out date it was really gobsmacking.. I thought she was going to tell me about someone else!  So don't worry TOO much if you can \o/

[Elanore joey]

does you friend wear heels? (iv fount a company that do killer heels in my size and would really like some)

at what point did everyone change their name and how did everyone decide on their name (mine will be jade)

thank you for all the support its actually been very overwhelming

[Jenna Marie]

I actually had to wait to legally change my name until a totally unrelated legal issue cleared up. I changed it unofficially/"socially" everywhere, including at work, by 11 months after I began transition, but then lived full-time with the wrong legal name - and that was SUCH a headache! - for another six months. My wife and I had to keep pretending to be married to the same invisible guy to explain everything that was in "his" name, like credit cards. On the flip side, maybe I earned some karma, because when I did go around to everyplace with the new name, the Social Security office changed my gender marker too without blinking - and they are *not* supposed to do that without bottom surgery.

Changing it was pretty easy  in my state, too; filled out some forms, paid about $100 total, and waited maybe six weeks for a private meeting in a conference room with a judge, who signed off on it and done.

[Kate_H]

does you friend wear heels? (iv fount a company that do killer heels in my size and would really like some)

at what point did everyone change their name and how did everyone decide on their name (mine will be jade)

thank you for all the support its actually been very overwhelming

She's quite a biker-chick and outdoorsy, so she's mostly into biker boots and hiking boots, mostly lol

Name Change happened over the course of 3 weeks when I took a holiday from work to get everything organized, meanwhile boss and employer did their bit.  Worked out very well for me, and I've been lucky.

Choice of name was an odd one - initial choice didnt "feel" right, so I kind of put it to committee (!) by asking work colleagues for suggestions, whilst my partner and I mulled options.  Not making this up... but we both came back with Kate/Katherine. Ofcourse there were all the somewhat noobish types who came back with derivations on my former name - but I'd already been advised to completely leave that behind, as its not about making it "easier for others" !

[bethanyjadefowell]

wardyjnr, this is how long it will take...

6-8 weeks you will see the NHS mental health team
Up to a three year waiting list for your FIRST appointment at the NHS GIC
Three appointments with them (six months apart from each other)
2 years RLE (if you go to CX), before any HRT!!
After your last appointment (but NOT at CX) they will decide if you can start HRT. BUT you have to wait to see if your GP (use to be PCT) will even fund your HRT. People have waited up to three years (fighting to get HRT)

And also, no matter how many times you've seen a psychiatrist, YOU STILL need to see the NHS mental health team. They won't see you without going there first.

So really, just to transition (depending on the NHS GIC you are sent too), it can take up to 10 years.

I am into my 9th month of waiting. Went to GP last may, saw mental health team over two months after, told it would be a four month wait to CX, but after doing lots of research it really is a VERY long wait (for most people)

But thankfully, I was able to find another clinic and be seen and start treatment same month (8 months ago), but we are not all as lucky as me ... But you'll get there in the end

[XchristineX]

December 2102 HRT ans laser and electro hair removal
May starting psychologist and psychiatrist private route to
Get papered faster....
Hopefully 1.5 years have ffs and voice surgery
By than all wpath requirements made...
Hopefully mid 2014 srs
Yaaay

Streamlined

[Elanore joey]

2 years RLE (if you go to CX), before any HRT!!
After your last appointment (but NOT at CX) they will decide if you can start HRT.
[/quote]
i might be being stupid but what is CX

[Kate_H]

CX = Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic (GiC) - a place of much woe for many people I believe.  I've been comparitively lucky in that being Scottish I go to the Glasgow Sandyford Clinic - tho that has not always been great either, but certainly quite a bit quicker.

A bit more detail: I transitioned in July 2008, saw GP just before then to get things moving from a medicinal point of view (I had self-medicated a bit as a trial before then) - he referred me to Glasgow.  They saw me in October that year.  First appointment not very encouraging ("Why are you here? What can we do for you?" - like you know the answers at this point!) was told to come off self-medicating.  Told that since I'd already gone "full time" I only needed another month of "RLE" but that I'd need to come back to meet the psychiatrist in a month or so.  I did, and he confirmed that I wasn't nuts/deviant.  Official NHS medications begin, small doses rising over course of a year.  I indicated at the time that GRS was not a priority for me.  Voice was, for which they promised to arrange therapy.  That promise would get lost for the best part of a year, but I chased, and eventually started.

Over the next few years I would continue along, privately financing hair-removal (would later get a lot of this refunded), some cosmetic work, transitioning (physically) at my own pace until august 2012 I met with Glasgow Sandyford again to request being put in the queue for GRS.  Was phoned by Brighton Nuffield in January to arrange consultation with them for surgery, and then left to decide approximate date myself.

So - whilst my transition has been on-going for 5 years.. in terms of actually waiting for key NHS referrals and whatnot..  its been pretty quick.

It is very much the postcode lottery though.  Glasgow is probably on the whole faster than CX (probably smaller number of patients tho) and by being based outwith the Glasgow catchment area my own NHS region is probably even faster.

But, like I say, they don't get everything right!  Recent changes to Scottish Government NHS treatment protocols helped change that, so far

[Elanore joey]

would you say it its a good idea to start changing little things that i can control my like starting to transition if you like for example im growing my hair (i used to have long hair and now i miss it) and iv used epilation and waxing  for the last 4 years i also wear female clothes (i have a very femanine shaped body so female clothes fit me better) but not to the extent it noticeable to others
i dont do these thing because i want to be female i do these things because i want to or they make me feel more comfortable with my self but i feel it will help me with my confidence in the long run

[Tristan]

Blockers and low dose estrogen in 9th grade and after high school Ffs BA and srs . Oh yeah and increased dosage of hormones and blockers at 25

[Natkat]

How long is a piece of string?

It depends on many factors..

as kelly says, it really imposible to say,
it depends on all kind of things like your country, your personal fellings, money, doctors,
so on and so on.