Informed Consent in Indiana

[Ryan B.]

So I've decided that once I have the money I'm going to go to a doctor who practices informed consent to get started on hrt. Problem is I'm having trouble finding any doctors in Indiana who do. I've found one in Ohio and one in Illinois, but those would be long drives, especially if I have to make multiple trips.

I've found this link on google:

http://www.pridelafayette.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Medical_Practitioners_v2.pdf

All of the doctors (or most?) say their trans related services are Hrt.
While scanning through the pdf, however, I caught this:

Dr. Keith Whitesides, MD
IU Health Arnett, Family Medicine
2800 Ferry St.
Lafayette, IN, 47904
Phone: 765.448.8000
Trans* Related Services: Hormone Replacement Therapy
Maintenance Only (will not write the original hormone
prescription)
Other Care Services: Primary Care
Takes Insurance: Yes
Sliding Scale Policy for those without Insurance: Sometimes
Other flexibility for those without Insurance:
http://iuhealth.org/images/uploads/FinAssistPolicy.pdf
Webpage: Search 'Whitesides' at www.iuhealth.net.

So... logically, does that mean the other doctors can and might write scripts without a therapist letter?  Or am I just thinking too much into this?

Regardless, anyone in Indiana know of any doctors who practice informed consent?  If I have to, I'm okay with driving to Ohio, but would prefer something closer.

[Jamie D]

The Howard Brown Health Center in Chicago has a fairly renown informed consent clinic.

[Ryan B.]

The Howard Brown Health Center in Chicago has a fairly renown informed consent clinic.

I've actually done a little bit of research on that place and was considering going there if I couldn't find some place closer. There's also a place in Columbus Ohio though which happens to be a shorter drive. From what I've read, there are fewer appointments required to obtain the hormones if I were to go to Ohio (especially if I've already had my blood work done when I go).

[Jamie D]

I hope someone in Indiana can chime in to help.  I'm on the west coast.   

[Ginny]

Sorry, I live in the northern part of Indiana and couldn't find any decent service. I have to fly out to the west coast to meet my needs.  Good luck on your search though. It also doesn't help that its about 110-120 miles between any decently sized metro to the next in the Midwest  , and that's assuming that the next metro area can be of service.

[Pinkkatie]

I go through Howard Brown and I've meet people there from throughout the Midwest.

[thevaliantx]

There is Dr Dain Wahl in Cincinnati, OH.  I know he handles HRT without a "letter of referral".  I got a voicemail the other day from a prospective therapist, saying that she would not be able to write a letter of referral on a limited number of visits, and my first (and ONLY) thought before deleting the voicemail was "I don't need your stinking 'letter of referral'".  Any therapist or doctor that doesn't follow the latest WPATH SOC, and refuses to do so after informed of the changes, tell'em to kiss your butt. 

[Missadventure]

I'm in Lafayette, IN and I go to Howard Brown. The drive sucks, but, really once you're in the program you don't have to make frequent trips. I've gone three times so far since Jan 8th. The first was on 1/8 for bloodwork and to discuss with a social worker so they could asses if I truly could make an informed consent, the second was 1/10 to get my Rx, and the third was 2/13 for my first level recheck. I don't have to go back until mid June.

I don't have ANY details, but I was told yesterday that there are doctors local, who although will not initiate an Rx under informed consent, will maintain them. So you can always start at Howard Brown to get your Rx and then see if there's a doctor closer to you which you can switch to from then on.

[Ryan B.]

Thanks everyone, but I'm actually already familiar with Howard Brown. I've already decided that if I can't find anything in Indiana (which unfortunately seems to be case) I'm going to Columbus Ohio where there's a place I can do informed consent... if I get my bloodwork done before hand it sounds like my very first visit will end in me having my script for t.

In the meantime, I'm still trying to figure out what to do about bloodwork. My insurance won't cover bloodwork (hell they won't even cover therapy of any kind). I've read somewhere that someone was able to get really cheap bloodwork done at a planned parenthood (I think that's the place..). So I'm going to do some research into that next, I guess.

[thevaliantx]

Speaking of bloodwork, anybody else here had one endo write the order for bloodwork but end up having the results sent to another endo / doctor?  I just need to do something after the endo i saw the other day told me there is nothing that can be done about hairloss....stopping it or regrowing it.....that all those medicines / applications are a waste of time and money and that i should just "go buy a wig...".