Nottingham GIC experience

[Richenda]

You read reviews about places and like to believe they can't really be true.

I cannot say, however, that my initial encounters with Nottingham GIC have exactly been positive. The first appointment was okay but I wish, with hindsight, that I had questioned the persistent use of the word role. Theirs might be a by-the-letter approach to previous Government guidelines but I cannot recognise the word 'role.' It bears no relation to anything in my experience, except when I once did some amateur acting.

Female Role? Sorry?

I'm not 'in a role.' This is me.

Right, that out the way, they sent a letter to my GP, not to me, with my appointment. Great respect there for patient contact. In it was an appointment for later this month. Now, as some of you may know I travel a lot overseas. I'm currently in Thailand where I have to be on and off for the next six months. So I have some specific windows when I'll be in the UK. When I phoned them just now to change the appointment they were initially grumpy, questioning why I needed to do this. I offered them a two week slot and they said they would email me back. This they did, with an appointment change which wasn't in my window. So I phoned them back and asked if my second window was possible? At this point they got even grumpier and said that because I 'wanted to push back my appointment' they would 'have to hold a special meeting about me.' The implication was that I was about to be bumped off the GIC.

So I told them to hold the appointment they have made for me, and that this will involve me having to alter my flights. They haven't bothered to reply to this. I'm expecting a pissy letter to my GP, not me, to follow.

Really, it does make you wonder why you bother. Perhaps that's their aim.

[AnonyMs]

Really, it does make you wonder why you bother.

I was wondering that. Why?

[Richenda]

In my case it ties in with something you or someone else asked: why bother when I'm in Thailand? There are lots of reasons but it does make me wonder. However, on a deeper level I do worry for others too going through this. Everything so far has been incredibly patronising as well as almost unbelievably binary focused: in the most naive way. It's almost at kindergarten level: you know, 'dress like a woman to demonstrate you really are one and then we'll believe you.' There's nothing very sophisticated about RLE requirements.

I think there's also a visceral issue about anyone telling you what you know already you are. Lots of counters to that of course and it's not meant to be arrogant. But for anyone who knows they're in the wrong body the whole experience is pretty bizarre at best, degrading at worst.

[AnonyMs]

That sounds like the kind of thing I'd say.

I guess we must have very different attitudes to this. Not too surprising as I seem to be a bit odd.

I'm in charge of my health and I won't cede control to anyone any more than I absolutely have to. I have seen a psych but it was for depression related to gender issues, not for permission to do anything, and I told him that. I said if I ever wanted a letter for SRS and he wouldn't give it to me based on what I told him I'd just get it elsewhere. He was really helpful, and so were the therapists I've seen. If they hadn't been helpful I wouldn't have bothered going back.

Thailand has always been one of my backup options if I had difficulty in Australia, which fortunately I haven't. Ignoring money, if I were in your situation I'd have started HRT the moment I got there, and probably be having SRS before I left. My main concern would be I like Suporn, and he's got a one year wait list, but that's about it.

[Laura_7]

In my case it ties in with something you or someone else asked: why bother when I'm in Thailand? There are lots of reasons but it does make me wonder. However, on a deeper level I do worry for others too going through this. Everything so far has been incredibly patronising as well as almost unbelievably binary focused: in the most naive way. It's almost at kindergarten level: you know, 'dress like a woman to demonstrate you really are one and then we'll believe you.' There's nothing very sophisticated about RLE requirements.

I think there's also a visceral issue about anyone telling you what you know already you are. Lots of counters to that of course and it's not meant to be arrogant. But for anyone who knows they're in the wrong body the whole experience is pretty bizarre at best, degrading at worst.

There are other GICs with short waitng lists.
The Laurels have a better reputation imo.
You can ask to be referred to a certain clinic.

Well its simply the process.
Imo its to prove to the NHS the remedies are necessary.
Its like a checklist ...
some do it cautiously some try to help transgender people.


*hugs*

[Richenda]

Thank you both of you for lovely and helpful comments ^^^^

xx

[Richenda]

Well I have an update on this. I wrote a firm but polite letter to the clinic as I felt it important to air the issues. I have to say that once I had explained things I received back a lovely helpful response and the clinic have even re-arranged my appointment to fit.

I'm impressed.

[Laura_7]

Congratulations 


*hugs*

[Richenda]

Well I had a really excellent follow up appointment at Nottingham on Friday. I thought Dr Mepham was superb and, well, lovely. That's not to say it was totally plain sailing but I like that. He pushed me to consider things I was ignoring e.g. allowing some legal matters to drift in the UK because it's so easy in Thailand.

One thing did surprise me was that he left open the possibility, had I pushed hard, that I could have gone onto GnRH analogue treatment. However, I didn't pick up this mantle because I'm having an orchiectomy in a little over 3 weeks.

I should get my third appointment in a couple of months and then, he said, surgery could be a soon as 6-8 months after.

Based on what I experienced Friday I would recommend the clinic and Dr Mepham was excellent.