Finding a doctor for starting hormones..

[Caleb]

It's been a good while since I've been able to come on here and post or what not. But a lot has happened since. I've been seeing a therapist at my college who is ready to write me a letter, clearing me for starting t when I'm ready. I'm really leaning toward wanting to star that this summer. My therapist told me about a doctor that is in the area, but considering I'll be away from school this summer I wanted to find someone closer to my home town. Is there like a list of doctors who are open and willing to administer t to ftm individuals. Or how should I go about this? A doctor's office? A hospital? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys.

[Julie Marie]

Include in your search "Trans Hormones - Informed Consent" THInC.  Here's an article that appeared in the Chicago Tribune.

[Caleb]

Thank you mam. Hopefully this will help when I get a chance to do some more research tonight.

[ty.to.the.man]

i go to Dr.Spack at childrens hospital boston

[Caleb]

If I lived anywhere near Boston, that would be awesome. Haha.. but I'm from South Carolina. How'd you end up finding out about your doctor in Boston though?

[xAndrewx]

Just look up trans friendly doctors in ____. Personally I looked at my local glbt centers website to see if they had anything. Then I looked up an insurance directory (I didn't have insurance) but they are usually lists of huge doctors that you just put your zip code in and it tells you the nearest doctors and I called every one on the list until I found one who said they would accept me. It took hours but it was worth it.

[Caleb]

Thank you Andrew. Great information. Did you just explain to the secretary or nurse the "issue" and then they would either say yes or no?

[bojangles]

What part of SC? If it's not too far, Dr. Marlowe in Charlotte, NC is trans friendly.

[Caleb]

I'm in the upstate of S.C... so Charlotte is only about an hour and half out. Not too bad of a drive. I did a quick look up of him, says he has an emphasize in weight loss. I'm guessing he's trans friendly with giving hormones too? What else you know about him? Thanks such much for everyone's help by the way! 

[xAndrewx]

Yup I basically said something along the lines of "I'm transgender and looking to start testosterone I have a psychiatrist letter would one of the doctors there be willing to work with me"

Just be prepared. Many times I did not get past the "I'm transgender before being hung up on or told "the doctor will not work with those "  Good luck man

[Michael Joseph]

I googled transgender doctor in (insert my city). I found two doctors in my town about 10 minutes away. I still need to get a letter though..

I have a question for you too. I have no insurance and not enough money for a therapist, but i recently found out there is one at my college who sees students for free. You mentioned you went to a therepist at your college. How did you go about asking them for a letter, or how did you find out they worked with trans people?

[lancem27]

Thought I'd butt in as I may be able to answer Michael's question.

Btw, OP, you have good taste in names. I may have to re-add my initial or this could potentially get confusing!

You mentioned you went to a therepist at your college. How did you go about asking them for a letter, or how did you find out they worked with trans people?

I have a therapist at my uni that works with transpeople. He is listed on the website for my province, and it's mentioned on the uni website. See if the counselling centre there has a list of therapists. Also, don't really be afraid to ask the receptionist, the worst they can say is no.

If it's free, it might be worth a try even if they aren't gender therapists. Bring the SOC in case they want background...that's how some more open-minded therapists become gender therapists, through people who take the time to approach them.

[Michael Joseph]

Thought I'd butt in as I may be able to answer Michael's question.

Btw, OP, you have good taste in names. I may have to re-add my initial or this could potentially get confusing!

I have a therapist at my uni that works with transpeople. He is listed on the website for my province, and it's mentioned on the uni website. See if the counselling centre there has a list of therapists. Also, don't really be afraid to ask the receptionist, the worst they can say is no.

If it's free, it might be worth a try even if they aren't gender therapists. Bring the SOC in case they want background...that's how some more open-minded therapists become gender therapists, through people who take the time to approach them.

Thanks for the response man, Ill definitely have to try that. Ive got nothing to lose, and your right, the worst they can do is say no.

BTW, I got really confused for a minute with the whole name thing lol. I was like wait Calebs answering my question for Caleb?? Then I realized there's two of you

[lancem27]

Speaking from my own experience, it may not be this way everywhere but post-secondary institutes are generally very open-minded. I live in Hicktown Canada and I have had ZERO problems on campus (serious or limiting ones, anyway). I have a feeling the therapist would be open to give it a chance.

[Caleb]

Andrew: Thanks so much man. I'm going to do more research on this and call some places up, if I can't find anything closer I'm content with driving to Charlotte.

Michael: Yeah man, the way the therapy system at our college works is you go in, fill out some information. Then they call you back and have someone talk to you about what you're there for, kind of like a pre meeting to make sure they have someone who is there that can meet your needs. The guy I'm working with right now has worked with a few other trans who have attended the college, but he still isn't very knowledgeable on the subject. He knows that his job is to make sure I'm in the right sound of mind and that this isn't something I'm about to just jump into. Basically after our second meeting he told me he wanted us to keep meeting to show that things are still going well and on the right track, but he's got enough proof to write me a letter to my doctor this summer when that time comes around.

[bojangles]

I'm in the upstate of S.C... so Charlotte is only about an hour and half out. Not too bad of a drive. I did a quick look up of him, says he has an emphasize in weight loss. I'm guessing he's trans friendly with giving hormones too? What else you know about him? Thanks such much for everyone's help by the way! 

Caleb, I'm not sure if it's ok to post link, but if you google "Thomas Marlowe transgender", it should take you to that page of his site. For some reason, it is difficult to find when starting with the weight loss portion.

I was gonna go to him, but found an endo closer to me.

[Caleb]

Ohh ok I got ya. I will definitely look into him. Thank you very much for helping me out guys, very very very helpful!

[Michael Joseph]

Andrew: Thanks so much man. I'm going to do more research on this and call some places up, if I can't find anything closer I'm content with driving to Charlotte.

Michael: Yeah man, the way the therapy system at our college works is you go in, fill out some information. Then they call you back and have someone talk to you about what you're there for, kind of like a pre meeting to make sure they have someone who is there that can meet your needs. The guy I'm working with right now has worked with a few other trans who have attended the college, but he still isn't very knowledgeable on the subject. He knows that his job is to make sure I'm in the right sound of mind and that this isn't something I'm about to just jump into. Basically after our second meeting he told me he wanted us to keep meeting to show that things are still going well and on the right track, but he's got enough proof to write me a letter to my doctor this summer when that time comes around.

Wow thats awesome! Im gunna check out how it works at my school after spring break

[Caleb]

Good! You should, because it's something that has to be done, and save us college kids some money! Haha.

[EthanD]

If you are in the upstate of SC check out Asheville NC. My therapist mentioned that there were a few doctors there that work with trans people. Asheville is pretty GLBT friendly in general so you might have a good chance of finding one. Good luck!