Seeing a GP soon - What do I say exactly?

[Jeatyn]

In the next few days I will be registering and making an appointment with a GP

What do I say once I get there?

Just bluntly like "I'm transsexual, and wanted to ask about getting hormones" ?

I have no idea what to expect, I don't feel like I need therapy and I've been told I can bypass that stage if I sign a consent form saying I'm of sound mind and know what I'm doing etc.

I just wanted to be prepared before I waltz in there

In the UK by the way, if that makes a difference

I haven't seen a doctor for anything in years and years, I generally avoid them

[lizbeth]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as you so I am looking forward to see the answer to your question

I went the therapy route though and got referred to a GP and an endo, but they are both 50 miles away and she also recomended that I try and find a GP near home, but i'm not exactly in an area where I think I will have good luck and like you I HATE going to doctors. Part of the reason I never went is because of being TG and a fear of being read. I guess that fear isn't justified for me anymore, so maybe I just need to get over it.

[Jeatyn]

I'm praying the doctors close to me are educated enough in TG issues to help me, I don't have my own transport and going elsewhere would be a massive hassle

[Buffy]

Hi Jeatyn,

Seeing your GP is just the start of the process, which will eventually lead to refferals for hormones and surgery. Your GP cannot prescribe hormones without specialist approval.

First thing for you is honesty, the truth and to tell him / her about your feelings and what you wish to do. They can then get you some evaluation, normally by the PCT Physchiatrist before refferal to a GIC. Beware that many PCT's use Charring Cross for thier GID work and others such as Sheffield, Leicester have long waiting lists.

My GP when I saw him had never treated a TS patient, but I took him (and the practice partners) lots of literaure, including a document called "A GP's guide to transsexualism".

I had a great relationship with my GP and for me he gave me a refferal letter, worked with my specialist Physchiatrist from Leicester, organised speech therapy, wrote prescriptions for hormones on approval from the GIC, organised and monitored blood hormone levels, provided me with Surgery refferal letters and completed my GRP application to change my birth certificate.

They are only General Practitioners and sometimes you have to lead them by the hand to point them in the right direction, never be afraid to do that.

Rebecca

[Cindy]

My GP has known me for 30yrs  as a male and my wife's family. He also knows be professionally as I'm in the same game. He is also religous. I'm not.

I went to a new GP and got a referal to the psych that way. I then asked the psych to correspond to my GP. I haven't been back: I'm booked in for week next weds. I really don't know it will pan out.

Know the feeling

Cindy James

[noeleena]

hi... Jeatyn  i see you are in the u k . i have dealings with some of the n h s people & not all of them are able to do much for us  as they are not trans related nor are some g p,s . you dont say were you live so i would not know the nearst n h s near you so you may have a g p who can help you other wise get in contact wth ch x or may be this ph no may help .   020.7210.4850
   department of health richmond 79 whitehall. london. SW1A 2NS any way just a thought your n h s is not like ours here in n z the d h b all though there are some things the same you have more Drs & psychiatirist.s who can help.. so there may be some on here who would know .  so just ask .   hope it all goes well .
     ...noeleena....

[Chrissty]

Hi Jeatyn,

There is a UK charity that has notes for GP's on GID you could print out and take with you.

I will pm you the link.

Chrissty

[Jeatyn]

I am in Leicester, boo to long waiting lists!

Thanks for the link Chrissty I'll print some stuff to take with me when I go just incase I'm the first one my doctor's seen

[vanna]

In the U.K your average G.P will know little if nothing on TS issues unless they have treated before.

They rarely allow hormones either for the above reasons without strong clinical backing. The most likely is your get a referral to a psychologist who will then write back to her/him and then a gender clinic appointment or a gender appointment straight away.

Its the NHS though so don't expect miracles.

[Jeatyn]

I was really hoping to be able to go full time before I start college in september, my voice is a bit of a problem at the moment. I think I might have trouble even getting an appointment for therapy before then at this rate xD

[vanna]

I was really hoping to be able to go full time before I start college in september, my voice is a bit of a problem at the moment. I think I might have trouble even getting an appointment for therapy before then at this rate xD

Shame your not working hunny, you can speed up the process quite considerably with private healthcare.

Your get there with the NHS but it can be like british rail, slower..much slower.

[Jeatyn]

I was really hoping to be able to go full time before I start college in september, my voice is a bit of a problem at the moment. I think I might have trouble even getting an appointment for therapy before then at this rate xD

Shame your not working hunny, you can speed up the process quite considerably with private healthcare.

Your get there with the NHS but it can be like british rail, slower..much slower.

being out of work is driving me insane. I'm even starting to consider adding up all the costs of private care and getting a loan....a bad idea...but I'm really not looking forward to starting another chapter of my life in girl mode. Ideally I want to move to a whole new area, new college, with nobody I've ever met before, and just go about my business as a guy without having to explain my situation.

[vanna]

I was really hoping to be able to go full time before I start college in september, my voice is a bit of a problem at the moment. I think I might have trouble even getting an appointment for therapy before then at this rate xD

Shame your not working hunny, you can speed up the process quite considerably with private healthcare.

Your get there with the NHS but it can be like british rail, slower..much slower.

being out of work is driving me insane. I'm even starting to consider adding up all the costs of private care and getting a loan....a bad idea...but I'm really not looking forward to starting another chapter of my life in girl mode. Ideally I want to move to a whole new area, new college, with nobody I've ever met before, and just go about my business as a guy without having to explain my situation.

Cant blame you for feeling that way, i think we all consider or even try it at sometime. It will work out im really sure..kay

[Jenny Jackson]

I went to see my GP for the first time last week. I got the impression that she might have had some prior experience of transsexualism, however, given I've been on hormones for over two years, have had FFS, undergone a plethora of other feminising procedures and have been full time since last November, the poor woman didn't get much of a chance to advise or deny me my 'shopping list'. 

[Chrissty]

being out of work is driving me insane. I'm even starting to consider adding up all the costs of private care and getting a loan....a bad idea...but I'm really not looking forward to starting another chapter of my life in girl mode. Ideally I want to move to a whole new area, new college, with nobody I've ever met before, and just go about my business as a guy without having to explain my situation.

I know what you mean about being out of work, I've been made redundant through takeovers and asset stripping 4 times, and it doesn't get any easier.

I'm glad you see a loan as a bad idea, I would agree in your circumstances.

I presume you are studying now and are looking for part-time, but if not,  have you thought about trying to get a job in Brighton (or the general area) and moving there in advance of college? If you are studying, possibly plan now for a summer job there, as it has seasonal work?

If you cannot get what you need now, it is always good to have positive plans to keep your spirits up....

Chrissty

[Jay]

I'm from the Uk also, and my GP didn't know anything.. however she did look into it for me and got me an appointment with the Gender clinic here.

I just walked straight into a room and said "I want to be a man" You should have seen her face! Seriously! But I cut to the chase..Short and sweet

[Jeatyn]

I'm not studying right now but I have been looking for work, and finding it really hard. Even places like mcdonalds and part time cleaning jobs have rejected me.

hell I even applied to a charity shop just to get some more experience on my CV and they said they didn't have any places! I couldn't believe it, I can't even give me labour away 

Jay - I'm gonna take the same approach, best not to dance around the issue. I'll take my printouts and just see how it goes.

[Jay]

I'm not studying right now but I have been looking for work, and finding it really hard. Even places like mcdonalds and part time cleaning jobs have rejected me.

hell I even applied to a charity shop just to get some more experience on my CV and they said they didn't have any places! I couldn't believe it, I can't even give me labour away 

Damn Ressesion! It is really hard to get a job at the moment and I'm just glad I have one. You could always go to the Job Center and get some help they are generally quite good.. well to an extent

Jay - I'm gonna take the same approach, best not to dance around the issue. I'll take my printouts and just see how it goes.

Be careful with the print outs, it could offend a doctor. So just be careful with that dude. But good luck and let us all know how it goes!

[Tamara]

Hi, I'm also from Leicester UK. I went to my GP and said "I want to have a sex change" and she just took it frm there, luckilly she has experience with this and knew what to do. I had an initial appointment with a psychiatrist about 1 or 2 months after seeing the GP and had my first appointment with a specialist about 8 months after the psychiatrist appointment. I know this isn't exactly light-speed but it's better than alot of areas.

I Hope it all goes ok.

[Jeatyn]

I'm not studying right now but I have been looking for work, and finding it really hard. Even places like mcdonalds and part time cleaning jobs have rejected me.

hell I even applied to a charity shop just to get some more experience on my CV and they said they didn't have any places! I couldn't believe it, I can't even give me labour away 

Damn Ressesion! It is really hard to get a job at the moment and I'm just glad I have one. You could always go to the Job Center and get some help they are generally quite good.. well to an extent

Jay - I'm gonna take the same approach, best not to dance around the issue. I'll take my printouts and just see how it goes.

Be careful with the print outs, it could offend a doctor. So just be careful with that dude. But good luck and let us all know how it goes!

I've been signing on at the job centre since my savings ran out about 4 months ago, no joy there either, ah well, I'm sure I'll find something eventually.

I seem to have a gift for offending people no matter what I do, but I'll try not to annoy my doctor when I'm asking for help xD