Transgender doctor speaks on dangers of self hormone therapy

[Natasha]

Transgender doctor speaks on dangers of self hormone therapy

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Transgender-doctor-speaks-on-dangers-of-self-hormone-therapy/articleshow/20610695.cms
6/16/13

CHENNAI: From the cloistered community of transgenders, a 36-year-old doctor is emerging to tell the tale of his transformation to her-and more.

On Monday, Dr Sofia (adopted name), an anesthesiologist and an assistant professor in a medical college, will draw on her personal experience and professional knowledge to educate the transgender community in Chennai about the dangers of popping hormone pills without proper medical guidance.

[Keira]

And yet they do nothing to help people get on hrt without being psychoanalyzed to death...

Just wow, what a hypocritical system.

[LauraGirl]

I am a transgender doctor too and I can only confirm that self medicating is absolutely dangerous! Hormones are no candy! To understand side-effects and complications you should have trained at a medical school, etc...

[Joelene9]

  Thanks, Laura for the affirmation warning for others who decide to self-medicate.  Hormones of any kind are dangerous if not taken properly.  These things are powerful body messengers!  Use of these things improperly and without monitoring from your doctor can be fatal!  There were some people that was using the powerful hormone insulin to get a sugar low to get high back in the 1970' and 1980's.  There was a case during a well publicized murder trial about one of those parties the accused and victim attended that insulin was used for this purpose in a upper class neighborhood Back East.  HRT has its own dangers if not monitored properly.  There are cases here on Susan's of hormone treatments gone very wrong. 

  Good website, Laura!  Heal well, physician!

  Joelene

[Jan]

I couldn't agree more with Skye

[Cindy]

I couldn't agree more with Skye

This is a local rather than general problem, most places are moving to informed consent. Where I am one 45 min session and two 30 min sessions and you are on HRT unless morbidly obese or have severe psychotic issues.

[pebbles]

This is a local rather than general problem, most places are moving to informed consent. Where I am one 45 min session and two 30 min sessions and you are on HRT unless morbidly obese or have severe psychotic issues.

Because the whole world is the USA right? ¬.¬ If this was the case then maybe I would agree with you.

But It's different here in the UK, and it's different in most nations of the world.

3 years! that's how long I was self medding for until they finally pulled there thumb out of there ass to do something yes the doctors knew I told them what I was doing.
All of them didn't give a damn, either they didn't know enough to advise and would refer me on or they just flat out stated there unwillingness to treat transsexuality.

I'd held on until my absolute limit, Yet they would have had me wait another 3 years probably longer because I was so unstable by that point. I won't be lectured to by hypocritical medical professionals.

I expect you to delete my post now. My story doesn't appeal to you.

[Oriah]

as much as diy hormones are discouraged, with the price of doctors/shrinks it can be cheaper for some to take care of it on their own and with as much gatekeeping and how long it takes to get approved for hrt, some people have to chose between self medication and suicide....some just can't hold on a second longer.

Sometimes the anti-self medding and the refusal of the community at large to allow access to information really irritates me.  I understand it isn't encouraged, but it's something that everyone knows is going on at a high rate, and that despite the preaching of the dangers, many people aren't going to stop self medicating....I really think more harm reduction information would help a lot of trans people out there who already are, or who are going to self medicate....

[DriftingCrow]

Because the whole world is the USA right? ¬.¬ If this was the case then maybe I would agree with you.

I expect you to delete my post now. My story doesn't appeal to you.

Actually, Cindy's Australian. And no one's deleting your post. (at least, not me anyway)

[Bardoux]

Because the whole world is the USA right? ¬.¬ If this was the case then maybe I would agree with you.

But It's different here in the UK, and it's different in most nations of the world.

3 years! that's how long I was self medding for until they finally pulled there thumb out of there ass to do something yes the doctors knew I told them what I was doing.
All of them didn't give a damn, either they didn't know enough to advise and would refer me on or they just flat out stated there unwillingness to treat transsexuality.

I'd held on until my absolute limit, Yet they would have had me wait another 3 years probably longer because I was so unstable by that point. I won't be lectured to by hypocritical medical professionals.

I expect you to delete my post now. My story doesn't appeal to you.

+1

[Missadventure]

Sometimes the anti-self medding and the refusal of the community at large to allow access to information really irritates me.  I understand it isn't encouraged, but it's something that everyone knows is going on at a high rate, and that despite the preaching of the dangers, many people aren't going to stop self medicating....I really think more harm reduction information would help a lot of trans people out there who already are, or who are going to self medicate....

Sadly, this is true of all drugs. At least in the US. And it's why the "war on drugs" has been a complete and utter failure. We nanny people about drugs, telling them "it'll hurt you!", but, we know they do it anyway. Yet, despite knowing people will do it anyway, rather than provide education on a safe means to do it, or provide people resources to actually quit, we still just sit back and preach "it'll hurt you". Yes, I know there are a number of harm reduction programs for illicit drug use scattered around. But those are exceptions, not the rule. For nearly three decades now American's have grown up educated about drugs by the DARE program. I remember my experiences with DARE, which, granted, were over 20 years ago, but, it was just some cop saying "Drugs are bad, mmmkay? This is billy. Billy got drunk, smoked a joint, and robbed a liquor store. Now Billy is dead." Whats the lesson I learned? You can mix pot and beer and not die, so long as you don't rob a liquor store. Thanks DARE! :-/ Now, was that helpful information? No. Did that really teach me anything about the real dangers of using either substance? No. But, sadly, that's the drug education system in the US.

And, sadly, I see that kind of oversimplified nannying quite a bit with self medding HRT. Yes, it's dangerous. But, we all know people will do it. Providing people with information to do it somewhat safer is much better long term than saying "Shhh... Don't do it. It's bad for you."

And, with that, I'm getting off this soapbox. I'm afraid of heights. 

[Hikari]

as much as diy hormones are discouraged, with the price of doctors/shrinks it can be cheaper for some to take care of it on their own and with as much gatekeeping and how long it takes to get approved for hrt, some people have to chose between self medication and suicide....some just can't hold on a second longer.

Sometimes the anti-self medding and the refusal of the community at large to allow access to information really irritates me.  I understand it isn't encouraged, but it's something that everyone knows is going on at a high rate, and that despite the preaching of the dangers, many people aren't going to stop self medicating....I really think more harm reduction information would help a lot of trans people out there who already are, or who are going to self medicate....

I agree with this 100%, but I will say there are large parts of the community, who will and do discuss the specifics of self-medication to reduce harm. There are actually quite a few reasons I would think that people, even in the US might take this approach, because there isn't an Informed Consent clinic in every city, because not everyone even lives in a city, because some people might be a danger to themselves if they have to wait on gatekeepers, etc

I understand the View of Susans.org and it is one I disagree with more and more as time goes on, but I wouldn't want to change it. What I mean by that is, there are already groups that deal specifically with this sort of information, and while it would be nice if that information was more common (I have seen new people come into that group taking dosages that are incredibly dangerous because someone on youtube mentioned those dosages!) because accurate information being more common might lead to less problems.....

Of course, the reason it isn't discussed here, is that even accurate information could be a killer, small dosages could really kill if someone has issues with their liver that they are unaware of, and their doctor could alert them. So my guess is both positions on self medding think they are reducing harm, but the position Susans.org takes is by far the one with the least liability.

[peky]

When I hear the "hormones are very powerful and dangerous drugs," I feel so scared I shake in my panties...Oh dear....

I feel like laughing at the stupidity or barfing at their ignorance...

Everything, including plain water, can be harmful when abused...pop a couple of dozen aspirins down the hatch and chances are you will be having a chat with Saint Peter in heaven (provided that you had not been a republican or preacher, in which case you may be talking to old Satan but that is another thread,,,LOL)

Most people who are in the path of doing yourself are not stupid and are going to take a look at drug dose, side effects, contraindications, etc, in other word they are going to educate themselves, right? ... if they do not or abuse it and take to much and die...well that is pure Darwinism at work

As far as HRT, the smart money says to have you lipids and liver function periodically check by your doc.

NOTE: having said all the above I DO NOT ADVOCATE TAKING ANY DRUG WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR LOCAL QUACK, OK? so do not get preachy with me sista!

[lilacwoman]

around the world doctors hand out hormones like candy to everyone but TS who are thought to be a special case at risk of deadly complications when in fact most of us start and achieve a hormone regimes that is perfectly safe.

perhaps the doctors who denounce hormones for TS need to care a little less about making money than making scary claims.

[Amy1988]

I am a transgender doctor too and I can only confirm that self medicating is absolutely dangerous! Hormones are no candy! To understand side-effects and complications you should have trained at a medical school, etc...

I'm doing anyway and I don't care.

[Jayne]

Because the whole world is the USA right? ¬.¬ If this was the case then maybe I would agree with you.

But It's different here in the UK, and it's different in most nations of the world.

3 years! that's how long I was self medding for until they finally pulled there thumb out of there ass to do something yes the doctors knew I told them what I was doing.
All of them didn't give a damn, either they didn't know enough to advise and would refer me on or they just flat out stated there unwillingness to treat transsexuality.

I'd held on until my absolute limit, Yet they would have had me wait another 3 years probably longer because I was so unstable by that point. I won't be lectured to by hypocritical medical professionals.

I expect you to delete my post now. My story doesn't appeal to you.

I fully understand your frustrations with the Dr's in the UK, I battled the sytem for almost 3yrs to have HRT started but that was the old, highly flawed system under which you were expected to present as female before starting HRT, this is something I was unable to do for medical reasons.

Late last year the NHS brought out new guidelines for the treatment of GID in the UK, within 2 months of the new guidelines coming into effect I was started on HRT, the new system does make it much easier to get HRT & informed consent is gradually working its way into the NHS, the biggest hurdle is finding a GP who knows that there are new guidelines for them to work from.

[Jamie D]

Because the whole world is the USA right? ¬.¬ If this was the case then maybe I would agree with you.

But It's different here in the UK, and it's different in most nations of the world.

3 years! that's how long I was self medding for until they finally pulled there thumb out of there ass to do something yes the doctors knew I told them what I was doing.
All of them didn't give a damn, either they didn't know enough to advise and would refer me on or they just flat out stated there unwillingness to treat transsexuality.

I'd held on until my absolute limit, Yet they would have had me wait another 3 years probably longer because I was so unstable by that point. I won't be lectured to by hypocritical medical professionals.

I expect you to delete my post now. My story doesn't appeal to you.

Pebbles, Cindy is in Australia, and is a medical professional in every sense of the word.  You are way out of line.

And I have no idea why the US is moving toward an NHS-style system.

as much as diy hormones are discouraged, with the price of doctors/shrinks it can be cheaper for some to take care of it on their own and with as much gatekeeping and how long it takes to get approved for hrt, some people have to chose between self medication and suicide....some just can't hold on a second longer.

Sometimes the anti-self medding and the refusal of the community at large to allow access to information really irritates me.  I understand it isn't encouraged, but it's something that everyone knows is going on at a high rate, and that despite the preaching of the dangers, many people aren't going to stop self medicating....I really think more harm reduction information would help a lot of trans people out there who already are, or who are going to self medicate....

For the purpose of this website, Susan has clearly stated her reason for the present policy.  Furthermore, the site wishes not to incur any liability for someone who followed advice given here and had an adverse reaction.

[Oriah]

For the purpose of this website, Susan has clearly stated her reason for the present policy.  Furthermore, the site wishes not to incur any liability for someone who followed advice given here and had an adverse reaction.

I know WHY the policy is what it is, I just disagree with it is  all.  I think not talking about it would lead to more injury than providing information.  But it's an understandable cop-out....I wouldn't want to be legally liable for someone else's medical issues either.

[Jayne]

I don't believe the policy on not discussing dosages is a cop out, every HRT case should be governed by the individuals medical history, what is suitable for one person may be dangerous for another & should be overseen by a proffesional.
If Susan & the moderators allowed or encouraged discussion about dosages then this site could be held accountable for any tragic outcomes & could end up being shut down due to the financial strain of lawsuits, we would all then lose a very valuable support group. We also have to consider that if the worst was to happen then Susan would have it on her concience that allowing this to be discussed had caused a fatality.
I back Susan & the moderators 100% on this ruling

[Jessica Merriman]

I hate to see issue's like this divide us and cause bad feelings. I can see all the points here as being valid as some are fortunate to get rapid correct care and others are forced into other means to obtain treatment. I for one appreciate the warning of self medication going out to those who would not have a problem doing things the correct way opting instead for the wrong way. As a medical professional myself I chose the harder way to go about things which is to play the WPATH game. Why, because these hormones can cause serious internal organ and other issues. I have been as frustrated with the system as anyone else here. What makes me qualified to say this, simple, 28 years as a Paramedic/Firefighter with the last 5 years as an elite Flight Paramedic in both fixed wing (short flight multi trauma) and rotary wing divisions (long range ICU transports). I feel the reason the warning was issued is to give newer members here a valuable piece of the transitional puzzle and enable those WITH medical access to use it and not rush and bypass therapy and proper medication administration/lab testing which has benefits to the overall outcome of transition. There is no reason to attack the OP for performing his or her duties under the oath they take as providers. If you have chosen to go about things differently, OK. You by all means have that right, just don't prevent the transfer of information to other readers who may have different choices. Transition and how we go about it are not a competition or any reason to get upset. Can we go back to being a family now?