How long will it take to get on HRT?

[Lily_james1]

Hey,
I have a doctors appointment upcoming to refer me to a gender therapist, and I'm just wondering how long does it normally take from seeing a gender therapist to get onto HRT?

[AnonyMs]

It depends on where you live and who you see. Some places can be very fast, others years.

[Daniellekai]

Depends on a lot of factors, but a gender therapist will typically be willing to write the necessary letters after just a couple sessions, mine pointed me towards the endocrinologist at the second session. The endocrinologist on the other hand can be booked solid. Transgender hormone therapy is a specialist field with not too many doctors in it, mine originally scheduled my appointment four months from when I had gotten all the papers in order.  They called and rescheduled for next week though as someone cancelled I guess.

I've heard in some places the wait list can be a year long or more, it really depends, that said, it doesn't have to be an endocrinologist specializing in transgender medicine, but their additional experience will serve you better in the long run. There doesn't really seem to be a consensus on how to do hormone therapy for transgender people, I've only looked at MTF, but so much of it is contested, like whether or not to prescribe a progesterone with the estrogen, if anti androgens should be stopped after a few months, or continued until the boys are physically removed, etc.

[Deborah]

I could have started within about three weeks if I had spaced my appointments closer.  It also depends on how your psych sessions go and what the Dr thinks is going on inside your head.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

[Rambler]

I could have started at the clinic I go to within a couple weeks of first making the final decision to transition had I wanted to. They do the information consent route so it would have only been a matter of waiting for an open appointment and signing paperwork. I ended up waiting close to 5 months before starting. It depends on a lot of factors like your location, availability of doctors, standards of care being practiced, etc. For instance, when I went to see my general practitioner in January I discovered that he had a 19 year old son who is trans and just beginning his transition. The hospital they were working through required a year of therapy before agreeing to provide any hormonal intervention, but they felt as though that was the right path for them because of personal reasons. For me, I saw no reason to get someone else's approval for me to do this, but I wouldn't think to go on a journey like they without therapy, I feel like we need a fair bit of introspection and mediation during this process.

[Devlyn]

Twenty minute appointment and picked up meds a week later for me.

Hugs, Devlyn

[SailorMars1994]

The place I went to in 2015 used the old school systems. I came out in May 2014, started therpay in Jan 2015 then didnt get to have HRT until May 2015... they used the old one year system i think  ... Had I done this in Winnipeg, I would have gotten HRT much sooner, maybe even the first day.

[JeanetteLW]

   My primary care physician at the VA was willing to order the meds for me the day I told him I thought I was trans after he satisfied himself that I was. Of course the fact that I had been taking illicit HRT meds for 5 weeks already may have influenced his decision. What I did is NOT Recommended btw. Starting with him I am doing things the right way. ie under a doctors care and seeing a gender therapist.

Hugs,
Laura  (getting tired of typing both)

[DawnOday]

It took me two visits to the therapist. By the third I had my approval letter. By the end of the second visit she was asking me if I wanted to start HRT. That was just over 8 months ago that I started. I have to say, I am lucky to have Group Health/ Kaiser as they have been quite wonderful. It may change in time but for now...

[Barb99]

They use informed consent where I went, so on my first appointment they explained what I should expect and the risks and did a blood draw. I went back a week later for the results and walked out with E and Spiro.

[mako9802]

Try a place that does "Informed Consent" until you can get your therapy letters in order.  That would be my suggestion.

[maksim]

It took me four sessions with a gender therapist (spaced 2 weeks apart) and two weeks after that in order to officially start HRT. So all in all, it took about 2 1/2 months. It all happened much quicker than I expected! And it seems like it'll take forever, but the time seemed to fly for me.

[Axolotl]

This can take anywhere from 1 appointment to 4 months from my experience.  The first place I went to (an LGBTQIA clinic that is very popular) put me on a 2 month waiting list, then it took 2 more months if appointments before they would prescribe anything.

Luckily, once I found out there was a wait, I immediately sought another way.  I found an endocrinologist who prescribed HRT within 1 or 2 appointments.  I highly recommend not even seeing a therpist if seeking HRT.  If you are prepared for your first appointment at an endocrinologist (using your real name and pronouns, and dressed as yourself) they should immediately be willing to prescribe.

If you see a therapist, it could amount to nothing happening at all.  Several months before I got HRT access, I came out to a therapist and it was session after session of just talking about the same things over and over.  I would have been better off shopping for clothes and getting used to pronouns on my own.  A better use of the money.  Luckily, I did that as well.  Best of luck.

[Janes Groove]

I went to Planned Parenthood, an informed consent clinic. So a week after my appointment I got a script.
But I had a 40 day wait from when I called until I had my first appointment.

[Sluggy]

Axolotl brought up a point that I thought was important.

I went to a place that does informed consent, however there was a bit of a wait (I think it was around 1-2 months to get my first appointment).
After that however, the follow-ups were very quick, and I could have started on my first or second appointment had it not been for personal reasons.

HRT is frustrating in that, once YOU feel ready for the next step, you have to wait for the external factors, whether that be doctors appointments or the time for hormones to take effect.

[Josephine8Alexandria]

If you are willing to make a trip to Los Angeles California, Doctor John O'Dea will get you set up with hrt immediately, no letter, and an aggressive program if desired.  Site is<link not allowed> well, that's an information page, just go to <link not allowed> and you will find contact telephone number.  (Note, the capta doesn't work for some reason, but the telephone number is good.)  He features pellet implants but will do shots and patches as well.

Moderator edit: Member is to early a poster to add links yet.  One can google the doctor to access the info.