has anyone had a therapist come out and say that they think you really need GRS

[stephaniec]

I was just curious how other therapists approach the problem of getting GRS. On occasion I have talked about getting GRS , but only briefly and only in relation to Medicare pay because I don't have the money Well, yesterday she sprung this on me and we spent the whole session talking about it. She says in her opinion that I should really look into getting the operation that she see's me as the perfect candidate. It kind of took me by surprise that she was so straight forward about it. I've thought about GRS my entire life especially since puberty if not before , but puberty was very dramatic for me when I seriously wanted it. I went into denial trying to be the good son , but mentally I never was that son. She triggered my mind pretty seriously and the thought of doing  this has hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks. The opportunity for me to get GRS could be well with my reach because there is a doctor within the medical network all my doctors are in that does this surgery on Medicare.  I know I'm a severe case and surgery would be like going to heaven because I've lived in so much pain for being born wrong. I was just curious if anyone else has been told by a therapist that That you would greatly benefit from GRS.

[LizMarie]

Mine didn't put it that way but we discussed the numerous times as a teen and the few times as an adult that I came close to self-mutilation. When we discussed surgeries, and I said I wanted GRS, she did say that she thought that was wise given my history of near self-mutilation. She never came out and recommended it but she might have if I hadn't told her it was on the agenda. I think she understood my disgust with male parts.

[stephaniec]

yea, I guess now that I think about it I've seen her for over two years and I guess just about every session I mention the fact I was born with the wrong genitals and I did draw blood once when trying to pull them off.

[suzifrommd]

yea, I guess now that I think about it I've seen her for over two years and I guess just about every session I mention the fact I was born with the wrong genitals and I did draw blood once when trying to pull them off.

Yeah, based on this if I were a therapist, I'd probably bring it up, just to break the ice if anything else.

[Zoetrope]

Odd. My Endo / Psych bring it up every session. 'What are my plans for the long term?' - is the veiled way they put it.

They know I am ambivalent about it at this stage, and are not trying to rush me. It just strikes me as odd that my specialists have been bringing it up, and not me!

[iKate]

First therapist asked if I hated my penis.

Second and current asked if I had plans for surgery.

That was about it.

[Christine Eryn]

My first HRT doctor strongly suggested I go across the border with her to another doctor perform an orchi, so the hormones would work better. This was back in 2007. I do keep wondering what my outcome would have been if I had done it. No therapist or doctor since has really pushed the issue.

[FTMax]

My first therapist asked what my intentions were as far as future surgical procedures. I wasn't a big fan of her, so I switched to another therapist. During my first session with him, he shortened our number of required sessions from 6 to 3 and immediately gave me the go ahead to start doing consultations with surgeons, as he knew it was what I needed.

[stephaniec]

Odd. My Endo / Psych bring it up every session. 'What are my plans for the long term?' - is the veiled way they put it.

They know I am ambivalent about it at this stage, and are not trying to rush me. It just strikes me as odd that my specialists have been bringing it up, and not me!

Well, I think why she might of been that direct because I been saying that my age is holding me back, I'm afraid my allotted time left on the planet is just too short. She went on to say " why not enjoy the life you have left".

[Adam (birkin)]

I've had it happen a few times. Usually my GPs (yes there are two lol, they worked together for a while while one was a resident) are the ones who say it. They know my mental health history and they are aware that transition has played a big role in it. They saw how long I went without HRT despite being an open/shut case and I've had the one flat out say to me "you really just need to get your surgery, you've wanted this for so long and I think that you will do much better when this is over with and no longer on your mind."

Therapist is a bit of a different story because she never brings transition up as she knows it's a topic I only think about when I'm in the space to do so.

[stephaniec]

good to know, She did get me thinking I mean I really have wanted it all my life.

[stephaniec]

I just received  a reply from the surgeon's office and they said that they work with the insurance company. I just need to tell them that's it's Medicare.

[Deinewelt]

Me and my therapist had a discussion about SRS in the long term.  I told her that I was down for it if my wife was.  Currently, my wife is confused about it and basically it is something we have to talk about later on down the road.

Sorry for the long post.

But yeah- we talked about it, and I was like heck yeah I would do it if I had the chance.  I really don't like the equipment down there.  What really got me to this point is just having a really good imagination that there is just something else down there.

I never could bring myself to self mutilation, but I have tried to research ways of safely doing it at various times.  For a long long time I wanted to be a woman.  I think a huge part of my problem was that I wanted to be a woman so badly, but I did not think that transition would fare well for me.  I didn't really understand how much of a difference HRT would make and sadly kept trying to find happiness as a man. 

Long story short, I kept dressing and purging over and over.  Dating never really worked well for me because I don't know how to properly be a man.  Either it would appear that I have ED or when things did work, it would not really be that enjoyable.  Eventually I just started telling partners everything when we first met so that I didn't have anything to hide.  Over time I started to get super skinny and then I realized I wanted to at least block testosterone.  At this point I start seeing what HRT could actually do for me, went through a lot of mental processes and confronted a lot of issues and now am finally on HRT.  Ever since I started I havn't had any depression.  I came out to my parents, and I just generally stopped being afraid because all I feel lately is relief and a sense of freedom!