NHS workshop

[Kayla88]

Hi,

I have been waiting a long time to get an appointment at Charring Cross, London (since Feb 2014, lol). They recently gave me an invitation to a GIC registration workshop, I was hoping to hear what people think about and what to expect from this type of event?

[Beverly]

I was a CHX patient but these seminars started after I was more or less done there. A frind of mine went to one. She said that it was an outline of how they work, a chance to look round and meet some staff and to ask any questions you may have.

It also made her less nervous about her first appointment because the place and faces were more familiar.

Now some tips - CHX is good clinically and the front desk staff are helpful but the back office staff are hopeless. NEVER EVER leave the building without your next appointment arranged and printed out. If the date they give you is too far away then politely press forca nearer date. Go in each meeting with your clinician with an objective in mind. In myvfirst meeting I told them I was fully transitioning and wanted HRT and GRS so wectalked about those and how they would be scheduled.  In my second meeting I gently pressed for a date to commence HRT. And so on. From first appointment to surgery was less than 2.5 years

One other tip. Tell your GP that the clinic in London(CHX) requires regular blood tests and get these done 2 to 3 weeks before your appointment.  GET THEM PRINTED OUT AND KEEP THEM SAFE and take COPIES to your CHX appointment because I absolutely guarantee you that the back office staff will lose your blood tests.  The NHS test codes to ask your doctor for are normally

Testosterone (T)
Estradiol (E2)
Prolactin (PROL)
Liver profile (HEP)

And for the first test only add

Full blood count
cholesterol
fasting glucose
thyroid (TSH)

You should fast for 12 hours before this first test so thatcthe glucose and cholesterol numbers are meaningful.

There are lots of other things you can do before the first appointment but I think I have given you enough to cthink about for now.

Good luck

[Kayla88]

Thanks for the advice.

I was unsure about going to this event mostly because I live in Wales, so it is a long way to travel, but if I get to meet the staff and ask questions that sound's like it is worth it.