Susan's Place Logo

News:

Based on internal web log processing I show 3,417,511 Users made 5,324,115 Visits Accounting for 199,729,420 pageviews and 8.954.49 TB of data transfer for 2017, all on a little over $2,000 per month.

Help support this website by Donating or Subscribing! (Updated)

Main Menu

What to expect from first endocrinologist appointment?

Started by E-Brennan, April 23, 2014, 04:53:33 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

E-Brennan

I have my first endo appointment coming up soon and the office has given me no information about what to expect.  Just a list of what to bring.

Sooo...

What should I expect?  Does the endocrinologist try to assess my mental preparedness all over again to make sure I'm really trans, or does the letter suffice?

What should I wear?  (I present as 100% male right now.)

How many needles should I expect.  I'm thinking blood will be taken :'(, but are there jabs for anything else?

And for some reason, this next one bothers me: will she want to examine my genitals?  (Er, let me rephrase that, seeing as she'll probably be as unenthusiastic about touching my bits and pieces as I am.  Will she have to examine my genitals?)

Last of all, I assume no prescriptions will be written that first time, correct?

Thanks!
  •  

Ltl89

I can only share my own experience, so please don't take my own as a sign of what it will be like for you.

On my first appointment, I was basically asked simple questions by the Endo.  My therapist had faxed over a letter, but she didn't recieve it.  Therefore, my endo was a bit more cautious with me and really made sure this is what I wanted.  She told me that there are risks and there is no going back, so she wanted me to 100 percent comitt then and there.  After that, she gave me a script for blood work and told me that she will look over that, as well as my therapists letter and then will start me on hormones depending on how it went.  It wasn't bad at all.  She just wanted to make sure I realized what I was in for and she wanted to verify that she was working with someone that had their entire heart set out for it.  She could have been gatekeeperish with a different patient, but she was easy going enough and sympathetic. 

I dressed the way I usually do and don't remember her looking at my genitals.  She does listen to my heart beat and lungs, checks blood pressure, feels around my throat, checks for breast lumps, and looks for signs of dvt on my legs.  She doesn't use any needles, as I go to an outside lab for blood work and use oral hrt. 

Usually, the first appointment is just an introduction, then they send you to get lab work and then only after they assess everything and clear you wil they give you hormones.  That should happen on your second appointment, at least that's how it went for me. 
  •  

HoneyBunny

I went in guy mode for my first few appointments. The first appointment is usually them asking tons of questions and informing you of the risks and effects are. Nothing too major happens other than they might take blood. They tended not to do any major exams on the first visit other than looking for sign of anything like dvt. Then they gave me the script for a starting dose of hrt after the tests came back. My next appointment though was more of what I expected in the first. They gave me a full body exam from breast to that area I can not name. My doctor started to measure my breast and then decided to look feel my testicles, I later found this was supposedly away for checking if estradiol was in my system in high enough level to start shrinking my balls since at 20 I don't think I had too much of a risk for getting cancer for them :(.
We're born naked, and the rest is drag.
-RuPaul
  •  

Ms Grace

The endo should mostly be interested in your health, health history and family health history. Mine asked a few questions to determine if I was ready for what HRT would do. Have been in dude every time so far, next appointment will be first time in girl mode. First appointment he checked BP, weight, breast area, balls, then had me go get a blood test. That was about it I think! Second appointment he wrote a script for E.
Grace
----------------------------------------------
Transition 1.0 (Julie): HRT 1989-91
Self-denial: 1991-2013
Transition 2.0 (Grace): HRT June 24 2013
Full-time: March 24, 2014 :D
  •  

kelly_aus

Hmm..

I see a gyno, not an endo..

But the first visit was pretty straight forward.. A medical history, a chat about the effects of HRT and how/what will be prescribed, followed by a physical, including an manual prostate exam. Then she wrote me up a path request and a prescription, and told me not to take anything until I'd had the blood taken..
  •  

E-Brennan

Quote from: kelly_aus on April 23, 2014, 06:19:35 PM
. . . including an manual prostate exam . . .

:o

I guess needles are not my biggest worry anymore.
  •  

Emjay

I just started 3 weeks ago myself.

My endo was very empathetic and respectful when I went in.  There was a multiple page document I had to read and initial several times basically going over the risks involved with HRT to make sure I was fully aware of what I was getting myself into.  My therapists letter was enough for treatment to begin, I brought a copy of it with me but he didn't need to see it as my therapist had already emailed a copy to his office directly.

They took basic vital sign stuff during my appointment and that's about it...  Um.... no looking at or touching anything else, at least this time anyway...  They also ordered bloodwork to be done and went ahead and wrote prescriptions for E and T-blockers.  He said it was a pretty low dose to start with and I'm guessing it will be adjusted at my next appointment since they have full bloodwork for that one.  They called a few days after I had blood drawn and said everything looked good and they would see me next time.

I went directly from work to the appointment so I was in full male mode, they had no problems addressing me by my female name which was really nice.  :)

Good Luck!




Start therapy:                            Late 2013
Start HRT:                                 April, 2014
Out everywhere and full time:      November 19, 2015
Name change (official):                            February 1, 2016
I'm a Mommy! (Again) :                             January 31, 2017
GCS consultation:                        February 17, 2017
GCS, Dr. Gallagher (Indianapolis, IN)  February 13, 2018
  •  

LivingTheDream

  •  

kelly_aus

Quote from: __________ on April 23, 2014, 08:26:03 PM
:o

I guess needles are not my biggest worry anymore.

Smile and look like you enjoy it.. It was not the reaction my gyno expected..  :P
  •  

Melanie CT

OMG this is a great question. My doctor recommended I go to have a consultation with an ENDO to learn more about HRT. All the replies helped me too. Thank you. I still have a lot to get through before starting HRT but she thought a consultation would help.
Hugs!
  •  

Ms Grace

Quote from: __________ on April 23, 2014, 08:26:03 PM
Quote from: kelly_aus on April 23, 2014, 06:19:35 PM
. . . including an manual prostate exam . . .

:o

I guess needles are not my biggest worry anymore.

I didn't get one of those - yay! But it does remind me... I still need one... :eusa_naughty:
Grace
----------------------------------------------
Transition 1.0 (Julie): HRT 1989-91
Self-denial: 1991-2013
Transition 2.0 (Grace): HRT June 24 2013
Full-time: March 24, 2014 :D
  •  

Ltl89

Quote from: __________ on April 23, 2014, 08:26:03 PM
:o

I guess needles are not my biggest worry anymore.

Lol, I didn't have to worry about that, but maybe that's because I'm under 50.  They say prostate exams are needed once a year after then.

As for the needles, don't worry.  It's really not as bad as it seems.  I hate needles and they freak me out and even I get through it.  Sure, I've had the nurse hold my hand a few times (not even joking) but it's quick and relatively painless.  One tip I have is to make sure you drink water beforehand.  I was dehydrated the first time and my hemocrit and red blood cell count came out looking very elevated.  that worried my endo, so I made sure to be hydrated for the next test and it went away.   Oh, and make sure to fast a least for 12 hours, so certain things like glucose level come back without being skewed.  It's important that they see all the values for what they are. 
  •  

KatelynRain

My first visit entailed my endocrinologist asking me questions to make sure I fit the 'profile' of a transgendered person.  He then felt my genitals and wrote a prescription for a low dose of Estradiol, but said he didn't want to do Spiro if possible, because it's a 'much cleaner experience without spiro, and your face looks clear so you probably don't need it'.   I was a bit surprised that he didn't ask me to do a blood test, but he said he would do a blood test 4 months later during my second visit. 
  •