what would be the best approach for ensuring successful transiton

[stephaniec]

just curious given the problems some find in their decision to transition , what do you think  the medical community could do or what approach should the medical community take to help transgenders achieve  the best possible outcome. any ideas ?

[suzifrommd]

just curious given the problems some find in their decision to transition , what do you think  the medical community could do or what approach should the medical community take to help transgenders achieve  the best possible outcome. any ideas ?

I'd like to see some sort of "mentor" program where a new transitioner is paired with someone who had transitioned previously.

[stephaniec]

sounds helpful

[ImagineKate]

The mentor program certainly is one good suggestion.

The main barrier to me was shame and fear. Once I got over that I found I could do a lot of things and simply not care what people think.

[stephaniec]

The mentor program certainly is one good suggestion.

The main barrier to me was shame and fear. Once I got over that I found I could do a lot of things and simply not care what people think.

that's what took me so very long to acknowledge it to a therapist

[peky]

just curious given the problems some find in their decision to transition , what do you think  the medical community could do or what approach should the medical community take to help transgenders achieve  the best possible outcome. any ideas ?

Napoleon said: "In war or love the three most important things are: money, money, and money,"


and so ti goes for transition... make sure your have a solid finical base before stating your transition

[stephaniec]

Napoleon said: "In war or love the three most important things are: money, money, and money,"


and so ti goes for transition... make sure your have a solid finical base before stating your transition

my only money problem is GRS , but I'm hopeful

[Stephe]

My approach was just to start living full time and figured things out as I went along. I had very few problems and once the people you know "take it seriously", at least my experience was I found they had a lot of respect for what I was doing. I never talked to any therapists or groups. I didn't even get involved the medical part until I had been living full time for a couple of years and decided to start HRT. A successful transition starts from within and a belief in yourself.

[trapsouldoor]

I'd like to see some sort of "mentor" program where a new transitioner is paired with someone who had transitioned previously.

This is an interesting idea. I feel fortunate to be able to draw upon the collective experiences of people here on the forum, to help me figure out the questions I need to be asking of myself, but nothing can quite compare to one-on-one talks and teaching in person. Though it'd likely be incredibly challenging to implement on a large scale, organizing something like that in a local trans* group could be worthwhile and rewarding.

[MyKa]

I think the first thing that needs to happen is for these insurance companies to start acknowledging that this is a  medical condition and there needs to be better coverage for the transition.

[HelloKitty]

I am very sorry that this wont apply everywhere, but I could include insurance in this too.

In places where srs is covered, why stop there? I think that for a lot of people srs is only a partial fix. What about BA? Or VFS or FFS? I view those as being essential also not just srs. Some people are lucky and dont need the extras, but ones that do need it have to save save save.

Just doesnt seem right to me for them to only bring someone half the way there if the rest of them needs help with passing.

[Apple]

The medical community would help us a lot if they would stop talking to the media about "sex change" or "sex reassignment surgery" and use more proper terms instead. Present terms induce the idea that if the sex was "changed", and now it is a female, then surely before that it must have been a male. Therefore contradicting the basic fact that a MtF person, for example, is female right from their birth and not only after "having the operation".

The way the medical community educates the public severely deforms the public's view of the topic in a non-friendly way. Despite the medical community's sincere effort to be helpful... They just do it in a wrong way.

[Alexis2107]

The mentor idea is really good one.  The transitioning from gender to gender in modern times is relatively new and we are sort of like the pioneers.  I think in the future, hopefully near instead distant future, it will be a commonplace for acceptance of fixing this medical problem.  Although the laws and government says discrimination against sex is illegal, it is still out there and until recently the government was breaking its own policies about discrimination.  It is slowly evolving, and as more acceptance and medical advancements, I think more people will come forward.  We are the drop in the bucket, I believe there are far more people out there who are afraid to come out or deny it.  Keep strong!

For as problems, the only problems I am having is my current living situation.  A kid (I'm no kid by any means) shouldn't support their parents but sadly in my situation it is.  I am moving out of state in seven months and I've told my parents this and was a big blow up over me moving out and them having to take up my portion of the bills.  By no means, this will not strap them or put them out, they are getting a FREE house, just have to pay utilities and taxes which I pay majority of the utilities while they have 3k more than I do a month while I am on disability.  They blow up about me moving out, wait until they find out I am a TG (:  I'll be disowned anyways as they put it, but I don't care... I never asked them to MOVE in with me in the first place, they just wanted to cut costs.  Anyways.........

as far as medical, doctors need to come down on the SRS costs in general.  I've had pretty complex surgeries in the past year that cost no where near $20,000.... my last one was only $7K and my heart surgery to correct a birth defect will be only $4K..... and they are all pretty complex situations.  I don't know what really is all involved in SRS but I am not sure if it is over priced.  Those of you who are saving or wanting/waiting for insurance to cover the costs probably agree.  If SRS was $10k I'd have it paid for no problem with my own money

[Lady_Oracle]

My approach was just to start living full time and figured things out as I went along. I had very few problems and once the people you know "take it seriously", at least my experience was I found they had a lot of respect for what I was doing. I never talked to any therapists or groups. I didn't even get involved the medical part until I had been living full time for a couple of years and decided to start HRT. A successful transition starts from within and a belief in yourself.

Yep this was my approach, I even achieved my voice before I started hrt. Thankfully hrt made it somewhat easier to stay in that female pitch but I'm guessing that was a psychological effect.

[Sarah leah]

In general the medical community in Australia is a mess. We get no real help, for example I have to travel 5 hours one way to get help and travel with two children and then miss two days of work for a 45min appointment, then need to drive back again. Anything related to transitioning is considered cosmetic and therefore is impossible to get aid with.  It took 12 months to get help from a doctor, then I was belittled as being mentally ill. No wonder people suicide in this country