How long was the waiting period?

[Alainaluvsu]

Okay, after 2 sessions my therapist told me my homework assignment was to call endo whom he recommended to me. I was to see what the process for him was to get an appointment. Well, I called and apparently the waiting list for somebody without insurance is up to nine months depending on urgency. I've emailed my therapist and asked him to fax a recommendation along with any notes on urgency so I could possibly get an appointment quicker than 9 months.

AHEM if you think I'm going to wait 9 months, btw, to get an appointment: you're sorely mistaken! There are plenty of endo clinics in the area. The doctor my therapist recommended, is very experienced with transsexuals going on HRT. This particular doctor works at a charity hospital, and the nurse I spoke with told me that they could not send me to other clinics (for a quicker appointment) if I had no insurance.

Anywho .. has anybody else had a similar experience? What was the time between having your therapist saying "Go get an appointment" to the time where you actually got an appointment?

[Hurtfulsplash]

In my case I'm on two waiting lists, one for three months (which isn't guaranteed) and the other for six months. I've heard of it only taking a month or two for some, and others it takes over a year. The waiting really sucks.

[Colleen Ireland]

I just got the intake questionnaire for the GIC (the only one open to me), and on the second page, they mention that they require a full year of RLE before approving HRT.    That seems rather backward to me.  And two full years of RLE before approving SRS.  Okay, I could live with that, but starting fulltime RLE before even being on HRT?  Sounds extra harsh.  I'm hoping there's some alternative.  I'm having my first session with a gender therapist in a week and a half.  I'm hoping she'll have some guidance for me...

[Tammy Hope]

like I said in another thread - gatekeepers before HRT seems much more oppressive than gatekeepers before SRS

As for the wait time - are you private pay? Seems to me that clients with cash in hand up front would be the sort you'd want most.

(though I understand there are some vagaries about government regulations that often create right the opposite effect)

[Colleen Ireland]

As for the wait time - are you private pay? Seems to me that clients with cash in hand up front would be the sort you'd want most.

Well, of course the GIC (CAMH, in this case) is acting as gatekeeper without regard to the type of client - makes no difference to them how the hormones are paid for, but in my case, the HRT would be covered by my company's drug plan (full cost), and the SRS would be covered by our government health care plan.  So cost is not an issue.  And anyway, there MUST be something I'm not aware of - some bit of information I'm missing.  And/or there are alternate routes to medically-supervised HRT.  I'm guessing that whereas CAMH seems to be the sole gatekeeper for SRS (for now), 'tain't necessarily so for HRT...

Also, part of it is the roller-coaster effect.  When you're a kid, and you go to the amusement park, at the gate you catch a glimpse of the roller-coaster way over on the other side of the park, and it looks like fun, you want to go on it.  So you drag your parents over that way, and whine until they bring you over there.  Then, you're standing in line, looking up at this huge contraption, and now you can see how high it is, and hear the creak of the boards as the cars go by, and the screams of the riders maybe don't sound quite so gleeful now...  I think that's part of it.  I've been assuming all this stuff was still quite a way out, and now things are starting to happen more quickly, and it all seems a bit more real, and that's frightening at first.  But deep breaths... I know I can do this...

[Alainaluvsu]

I've heard about the UK needing you to have RLE before hormones, and really I feel for yall so much. I don't see how forcing people who don't pass to go out and get RLE before hormones is actually RLE. You're going to get clocked so much I wouldn't even see it as RLE in many peoples cases.

[lilacwoman]

I just got the intake questionnaire for the GIC (the only one open to me), and on the second page, they mention that they require a full year of RLE before approving HRT.    That seems rather backward to me.  And two full years of RLE before approving SRS.  Okay, I could live with that, but starting fulltime RLE before even being on HRT?  Sounds extra harsh.  I'm hoping there's some alternative.  I'm having my first session with a gender therapist in a week and a half.  I'm hoping she'll have some guidance for me...

that sounds a bit backward.   like CAMH.   I'm sure I've seen other Canadian girls get sorted much quicker at other places.

[Sinnyo]

I've heard about the UK needing you to have RLE before hormones, and really I feel for yall so much. I don't see how forcing people who don't pass to go out and get RLE before hormones is actually RLE. You're going to get clocked so much I wouldn't even see it as RLE in many peoples cases.

Majorly. :/

Sadly, I've heard it's purely for liability reasons; a rather negative spin, but it makes sense to me given that the NHS is a public service. "The government allowed me to do this to myself!" would cause a hell of a stink if one irresponsible or misguided idiot got through to hormones. I've taken the doormat line and reassured myself that I'll do what they ask, considering I'm getting this help for 'free'. And hey - any RLE on hormones is going to be a frolic compared to what I'm lumped with now.

[Tippe]

I've heard about the UK needing you to have RLE before hormones, and really I feel for yall so much. I don't see how forcing people who don't pass to go out and get RLE before hormones is actually RLE. You're going to get clocked so much I wouldn't even see it as RLE in many peoples cases.

Denmark's the same. You'd better be living in your target for a year before you start at the clinic otherwise you're not even allowed to start observation. At that time you'll be observed for at least another year before they refer you to the gyneocologist, then is a waiting list of 4-5 months.

I know some people who started living as women several years ago and told everyone including family and work, yet they weren't even accepted in observation at the clinic. In all instances the clinic makes clear that they do not counsel and that they can never recommend gender change. They only write a statement on whether they find anything contraindicating a change.
During that first year you cannot even change your name. Horrible!

On the other hand surviveing the discrimination I faced in practical nurse training living as a woman as good as possible with officially male name and papers! have made me believe that I am going to survive any and everything I am ever going to face in life


Tippe

[Vanessa_yhvh]

It seems to vary considerably depending on where you go and what their motivations are.

The hospital where I have everything done has a team of professionals dealing with trans patients. And that team wants as many patients as possible, so they can build a curriculum to train family medicine doctors across Louisiana to be able to treat trans patients.

It would not surprise me if I were to find that this was an influencing factor on why I had no waiting period when I went in. But I can't say for sure, as they could have taken one look at me & felt that I simply had my life together or otherwise seemed like a rush job.

All I really know is that I fired off an email requesting HRT and walked out the door with it. I believe at least one transwoman in the Jackson (MS) metro area had no trouble obtaining HRT without a wait simply by asking, right in the metro area.

There may be some value in simply contacting every possible source in the area and asking, since some obviously come off it easier than others.

[Alainaluvsu]

It seems to vary considerably depending on where you go and what their motivations are.

The hospital where I have everything done has a team of professionals dealing with trans patients. And that team wants as many patients as possible, so they can build a curriculum to train family medicine doctors across Louisiana to be able to treat trans patients.

It would not surprise me if I were to find that this was an influencing factor on why I had no waiting period when I went in. But I can't say for sure, as they could have taken one look at me & felt that I simply had my life together or otherwise seemed like a rush job.

All I really know is that I fired off an email requesting HRT and walked out the door with it. I believe at least one transwoman in the Jackson (MS) metro area had no trouble obtaining HRT without a wait simply by asking, right in the metro area.

There may be some value in simply contacting every possible source in the area and asking, since some obviously come off it easier than others.

I live in Louisiana, where did you seek HRT? My therapist has made remarks to me about how in tune with my mind I seem to be. He only recommended I call a doctor at LSU because he knows the doctor sees alot of transgendered people. I've since emailed my therapist and asked that he send a recommendation (along with any notes of urgency he can) to this nurse. I also asked him whether there was some other place I could go in order to not have to wait 9 months. I recieved an email from him saying he would work on it a couple days ago and would let me know what he comes up with.

If my therapist doesn't come thru for me on this soon, I probably will just look up every endo in the phone book and ask. I have a good amount of confidence that my therapist would be happy enough to recommend that I start HRT asap.

[Vanessa_yhvh]

I wouldn't be remotely shocked if my doc is the one to whom you were referred. I'll PM you his name & contact info, and you can see if it matches up.

I know he follows the SOC, but has a therapist on-hand who can produce The Letter.

[Julie Marie]

Unless you're looking for free treatment, I don't understand a wait simply because you are uninsured.  You pay as you go and that should take care of the insurance block.

As for obtaining HRT more easily, check your area for "Informed Consent" HRT.  Howard Brown Health Center in Chicago does that and it's pretty straightforward.  They also help those who can't afford treatment. 

You can also check here for more info: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,82812.0.html

[valyn_faer]

Well, reading this makes my wait seem less bad. I'm going through my university's health center. They require 3 months of counseling before starting HRT. I got The Letter at the beginning of August but had to wait until August 30th for my appointment with the doctor for the HRT. I got the prescription that day, but they wanted blood work done and to see the results before I start, so I haven't filled the prescription yet. I had the blood work done the next day, but they haven't gotten the results back and the health center is now closed for the next two weeks. So, now I have to sit around and wait for the next two weeks before I can even get this prescription filled and start taking the bloody things! But, considering I started counseling in late June, I guess that's not too bad. Then again, I just turned 30 and really wish I had had the opportunity to pursue this when I was younger. So, in a sense, I've really been "waiting" for much longer. The whole, requiring the RLE prior to HRT always seemed backwards to me, too.

[Tippe]

I just turned 30 and really wish I had had the opportunity to pursue this when I was younger. So, in a sense, I've really been "waiting" for much longer.

Better late than never! My prescription was written the day before my 30th birthday, but it actually registered in the system on my birthday. I find that very cool Maybe I can schedule SRS on another birthday or something


Tippe

[JennX]

Okay, after 2 sessions my therapist told me my homework assignment was to call endo whom he recommended to me. I was to see what the process for him was to get an appointment. Well, I called and apparently the waiting list for somebody without insurance is up to nine months depending on urgency. I've emailed my therapist and asked him to fax a recommendation along with any notes on urgency so I could possibly get an appointment quicker than 9 months.

AHEM if you think I'm going to wait 9 months, btw, to get an appointment: you're sorely mistaken! There are plenty of endo clinics in the area. The doctor my therapist recommended, is very experienced with transsexuals going on HRT. This particular doctor works at a charity hospital, and the nurse I spoke with told me that they could not send me to other clinics (for a quicker appointment) if I had no insurance.

Anywho .. has anybody else had a similar experience? What was the time between having your therapist saying "Go get an appointment" to the time where you actually got an appointment?

About 1 week. That's how long I waited. Call around and find another endo or general practioner that can see you sooner. I've have gotten the same "it'll be 6 months till the next opening" from various docs over the years. Just call around or ask your therapist for a 2nd and 3rd option as I'm sure he/she knows more than just 1 doc.

[JasminB]

Not sure if its country/state dependent but personally my experience(In Australia) was one free session with a government psychologist(transgender specialist) at the sexual health clinic who agreed I was ready for transition and had fully thought it through and made a booking for the government(free) Endo 2 weeks later. She did say that 2 weeks was quick though and usually people have to wait a month here.

From what shes explained to me her councilling is free, at least the first Endo session is free but I do have to pay for the Psychiatrist who writes the prescriptions(although its government subsidised so a /lot/ cheaper than normal).

I was shocked to be honest, I went in there with my wallet expecting to leave light handed and its fantastic to see the government has these programs all setup to help you.