pharmacy questioning prescription redux

[Kaydee]

A few days ago someone posted about their pharmacist questioning their estrogen prescription - surely there must be a mix up.  This is a male asking for the prescription.  I couldn't find the thread with a quick search, so I want to thank them with this thread.  Here is what happened to me yeaterday:

I walk up to the counter and tell the assistant that my doctor had sent in my prescription to be filled.  He gets my identification info and enters it into the computer....and he spends time reading  .... and finally he turns to me and asks,
"Do you know what the prescription was for?"   

As soon as I saw him pause and read I knew what was coming (thanks to the other thread) and so I smiled, looked him in the eye and said, "Estrogen."

He said, "OK.  We were just trying to confirm the prescription with your doctor."  He excused himself and walked back to talk with the head pharmacist.   Evidently a light bulb turned on, because after a few minutes he returned and promised to have my prescription in a few minutes.

The rest went well - if a bit slowly.

Its so nice being able to make others' days more interesting, isn't it!?   

[KayXo]

I went through the same at first...funny! 

[ImagineKate]

I would tell them the truth for shock value. Yes I'm like that sometimes. Not my advice to you just something I would do. I already told my previous primary doc I am trans as well. He didn't seem fazed by it. He even asked if I wanted hormones from him!

[Eva Marie]

Sometimes estrogen is proscribed for prostate issues so it's not totally unheard of for a guy to get such a prescription.

With that said I think that the straightforward response is the best one in this situation - you will most likely have to eventually out yourself at the pharmacy as you progress but before your name change for various reasons, such as your health insurance balking at covering female related prescriptions, or after your name and appearance change when they know you under your old name and appearance. It's going to happen.

I had the same experience at my pharmacy and like you I expected it - I just told them that i'm transgender. It is kind of fun to watch the puzzled expressions and the gears grind LOL......

[Kaydee]

Sometimes estrogen is proscribed for prostate issues so it's not totally unheard of for a guy to get such a prescription.

With that said I think that the straightforward response is the best one in this situation - you will most likely have to eventually out yourself at the pharmacy as you progress but before your name change for various reasons, such as your health insurance balking at covering female related prescriptions, or after your name and appearance change when they know you under your old name and appearance. It's going to happen.

I had the same experience at my pharmacy and like you I expected it - I just told them that i'm transgender. It is kind of fun to watch the puzzled expressions and the gears grind LOL......

I am not worried about outing myself to the pharmacy.  I was just enjoying their reaction.  Had they asked more I would have let them know - I chose a pharmacy away from home as I assume it will become clear sooner or later.   Once I out myself to my adult children I won't worry at all about who knows.  I look forward to a few of the discussions with some closed-minded acquaintances.

[Jenna Marie]

I never actually did officially out myself at my pharmacy... I'm sure they could have put two and two together, but I just switched from picking up prescriptions for one name to getting them for the other.

I was, however, amused that after a while one pharmacist assumed I was there for my husband, and checked that "he" knew what this might do to him.   After that I requested that the doctor write the prescription to a unisex nickname of my [still male] legal name, and that worked fine.

[Mariah]

Amazing what they assume when they don't know what is going on. When I went update everything at the local hospital, where I was scheduled to have a kidney stone removed at the end of August. They how thought that instead of it being the same person that I was some that I was my old self's wife even though the chart clearly shows I'm not married. The even entered the updated information that way too. Assumptions will get you every time.
Mariah

I never actually did officially out myself at my pharmacy... I'm sure they could have put two and two together, but I just switched from picking up prescriptions for one name to getting them for the other.

I was, however, amused that after a while one pharmacist assumed I was there for my husband, and checked that "he" knew what this might do to him.   After that I requested that the doctor write the prescription to a unisex nickname of my [still male] legal name, and that worked fine.

[Jenna Marie]

Mariah : And, of course, it's funny right up until it messes up bureaucracy somewhere that counts - I hope it wasn't a problem for your surgery!

These days, people still occasionally assume *both* my wife and I are/were married to my old name, and it's been over five years. Sheesh.

[Mariah]

Jenna Marie, all the mess ups the hospital was having in handling my situation caused me to move it off. To much dysphoria related to it. The doctor agreed that it would do more harm than good to preform the procedure then. I got them to agree to allow concealer over what facial hair was left tell I got in the one area so it could be removed after being in a private area. Then it was rescheduled for October 3, but the hospital canceled all his surgeries that day. I found out when I came to the appointment to resign the permission to treat form of his that the hospital needed. Then between his vacation and my schedule it got pushed to December 5. This time it is a go. I go in for pre admission paperwork on 12/2. As long as everything goes well on December 5 I will go home the same day. It's been a reoccurring health issue since the first puberty. My bodies way of dealing with the testosterone was to make cystine stones out of it, which are no fun. I have already had 3 laser hair removal sessions on the face so I'm not as worried about that, but the fact that the wig will have to come off and of course the equipment I can't wait to get rid of will be on full display to the surgeon still makes me queasy. I would love to postpone tell everything is done, but I know my health wouldn't benefit from waiting years. Just a note this stone isn't blocking or anything. It was found via routine CT scan of my kidney's for kidney stones. This type of stone doesn't show up well on regular x-ray's, if at all.

Mariah : And, of course, it's funny right up until it messes up bureaucracy somewhere that counts - I hope it wasn't a problem for your surgery!

These days, people still occasionally assume *both* my wife and I are/were married to my old name, and it's been over five years. Sheesh.

[Alexis2107]

I didn't talk directly to the pharmacist, the girl who gave it to me didn't really know what it was for or acted like she cared.  Didn't even charge me, just handed me the bag and off I went.  That's how I like it

If you live in the US, I don't think it's legal for them to ask what it's for or why the doctor prescribed it due to HIPPA laws.  They are only required to make sure you understand how to take it, when to take it, etc... but I never ask for consultation, I would forget what they said two minutes after walking away... I am much better at reading from the print out they put in with it.

[KittyKat]

I'm kind of interested to see how things are going to go on Tuesday its going to be my first time getting estradiol refilled since I retired from Army and now my insurance covers it. Well I talked to my doctor who's at the local Air Force base clinic and he does not mind putting in the order which goes to pharmacy in clinic. I'm just wondering how things are going to be when I pick it up, especially if it's an enlisted pharmacy tech and not civilian.

[Jenna Marie]

Mariah : Good heavens, what a set of hassles! I'm so sorry the surgery ended up being delayed twice.

[Kaydee]

Mariah -
Sorry to hear of all the problems with getting in to the doctors. Let's hope that all goes smoothly this time and you can focus on your transition after.

I'm kind of interested to see how things are going to go on Tuesday its going to be my first time getting estradiol refilled since I retired from Army and now my insurance covers it. Well I talked to my doctor who's at the local Air Force base clinic and he does not mind putting in the order which goes to pharmacy in clinic. I'm just wondering how things are going to be when I pick it up, especially if it's an enlisted pharmacy tech and not civilian.

Well, good luck. Just walk in with confidence and  I am sure it will all be fine. 

[Stephe]

The first time I went to get mine filled (up to this point I had no HRT), they asked if I was preggers and made me sign a form that I understood I shouldn't take this if I was preggers or planned to be. I guess I was passing ok

[Mariah]

Very much so it only added the problems I had with it. Thanks I will. He is a good surgeon. I have every faith in the fact he will do a good job.
Mariah

Mariah : Good heavens, what a set of hassles! I'm so sorry the surgery ended up being delayed twice.

[Jaime R D]

When I first got mine filled, the pharmacist asked me if the prescription was correct and then he pulled me over to the side and asked if I knew what it could do to me and I assured him all was ok and I was definitely aware. After that, there were no more issues.

[Mariah]

Thanks, I'm very focused on it now. I hope it goes smoothly and it should provided it didn't get a lot larger. My worst nightmare would be a perc. It's where they have to make an cut and put a tube in it from outside your body into the kidney. It's not planned, but the paperwork warns that its possible. It would put the breaks on my transition in the since that spiro and my estradiol shots would have a break in them. I anticipate a slight break on spiro as a result though. I'm supposed to go up another dosage on 11/29, but that will be delayed by a short bit since I certainly can't take a break from the higher dose without lowering it first again. It's more going to mentally challenging than anything because those who will see me without the wig and makeup will only be the nurses, the surgeon and any other related medical staff. Still my anxiety level is up as a result. It's why my next therapy session will be a few days after that procedure.
Mariah.

Mariah -
Sorry to hear of all the problems with getting in to the doctors. Let's hope that all goes smoothly this time and you can focus on your transition after.

Well, good luck. Just walk in with confidence and  I am sure it will all be fine.