Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Name a medical disorder that when a person follows the medically prescribed treatment for the disorder, a typical reaction of spouses, family and friends is to turn their backs on the person seeking treatment or urge them to deny treatment. In fact that reaction is so typical that it is the norm. People often hide in shame or go into denial for fear of losing the loves ones whose support they so desperately need.

I can only name one such disorder off the top of my head.

 :-\

Name one medical disorder where the preferred treatment is to completely accommodate said disorder, and give it free room to take over the subject's body and mind.

Not that I'm complaining, mind.

HIV, polio, leprosy, HPV, schizophrenia... probably more?

Or how about this lovely period of human history: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/disabled.html (http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/disabled.html)

Stigma and medical disorders is hardly an uncommon combination, unfortunately.

Some disorders and disabilities are not actual disorders and are just labeled as such in the medical community. The pathological viewpoint :(

Well I just watched Transamerica and it made a good point: what kind of mental disorder is fixed with plastic surgery? It's not a mental disorder at all. I believe it's all genetic and something happens in the womb. For instance, I look just like all the female members of my family, except I'm genetically male exposed to a lot of T and therefore ugly that way, but the point is most of my female cousins and my sister have this weird birth mark right between their boobs. It's a white circle. I have it too. I only know of it because when I went swimming once they pointed it out to me and were like see one day you'll be just like us too. How prophetic? I hope.

Quote from: Joanna Dark on April 13, 2013, 12:36:29 AM
Well I just watched Transamerica and it made a good point: what kind of mental disorder is fixed with plastic surgery?

It could be said that plastic surgery (in general, not just gender correction stuff) helps the patient feel better because it helps people be more comfortable with their bodies.

I find it curious that the medical community puts gender correction surgery in a different category. You want a nose job, boob job, liposuction, etc.? Go right ahead and pay us to cut you. You want what? Gender correction? Well, that's different. Better prove to us you're not crazy first.

Quote from: suzifrommd on April 13, 2013, 06:28:53 AM
It could be said that plastic surgery (in general, not just gender correction stuff) helps the patient feel better because it helps people be more comfortable with their bodies.

I find it curious that the medical community puts gender correction surgery in a different category. You want a nose job, boob job, liposuction, etc.? Go right ahead and pay us to cut you. You want what? Gender correction? Well, that's different. Better prove to us you're not crazy first.

Since most surgeons are males and most males feel you got to be crazy, at best, to whack off the dangly bits... Yeah, prove to me you aren't nuts (pun intended)  ;D

Almost any mental illness ever fits the description of the OP.  :-\

Quote from: JoanneB on April 13, 2013, 07:01:11 AM
Since most surgeons are males and most males feel you got to be crazy, at best, to whack off the dangly bits... Yeah, prove to me you aren't nuts (pun intended)  ;D

Easy... talk  to me for 15 minutes. That's all it takes to realize I'm female.

.

I

Quote from: muuu on April 13, 2013, 09:58:58 AM
Imo it isn't a mental disorder, I see it as a deformation that occurred in the womb, left untreated it deforms you more and more.

I should have been more clear. I don't think it's a mental disorder. Felicity Huffman in the movie said that about GID being referred to as a mental disorder. The producer obviously didn't think it was a mental disorder either. I thought the movie was well done for the most part. A lot better than being portrayed as a psycho killer who kills women for their skin.

Quote from: summerbreeze on April 13, 2013, 11:48:02 AM
I'm sorry. I cannot. In my humble conviction, GID is not any "disorder", but a social problem.

O.K.  "Social problem" ?  You sparked my interest and maybe I understand, but please explain.


But to go on about doctors and knowlege, most doctors have NO knowlege of Transgender issues.  And I'm not sure they even get much instruction in med schools because it isn't treated by medical doctors, but instead by pshychiatrists, and therapists.  And they're probably told exactly that.   

My General Practice Dr. is a woman in her early 50s and I'm her first transgender patient.  I asked her about treatment and referals for proper HRT to stop self medicating, and she said two very telling things that made me mad.  Can't remember exactly how it was said, but kinda like:

1.  "Female hormones are for women, not men.  They're dangerous!"    Then she added ...
2.  "A doctor won't give healthy people spironolactone.  It's for heart patients and can hurt you."   

She's still my doctor for medical issues only, but now she's at least curious about my transition, and I'm still her only trans patient.

Kathy

Dear Gawd, Kathy,

And she's still your Doctor!! ?? I wouldn't be telling her too much about your journey. She may put you to the stake and set fire to it with her remonstration about HRT.

She demonstrates a very blinkered vision on mental health issues and others matters it would seem. I not sure whether I could totally trust her for a prognosis. In her opinion, would "men" having breast cancer be ruled out of treatment?

I hope you don't have any major medical issues.

Huggs
Catherine

Quote from: kathy b on April 13, 2013, 12:12:39 PM
My General Practice Dr. is a woman in her early 50s and I'm her first transgender patient.  I asked her about treatment and referals for proper HRT to stop self medicating, and she said two very telling things that made me mad.  Can't remember exactly how it was said, but kinda like:

1.  "Female hormones are for women, not men.  They're dangerous!"    Then she added ...
2.  "A doctor won't give healthy people spironolactone.  It's for heart patients and can hurt you."   

"Then recommend that I have my testicles cut off. No more need for Spiro and thus no risk of contraindications on Estradiol since my production of testosterone is negligible. Problems solved!"

Quote from: kathy b on April 13, 2013, 12:12:39 PM
1.  "Female hormones are for women, not men.  They're dangerous!"    Then she added ...
2.  "A doctor won't give healthy people spironolactone.  It's for heart patients and can hurt you."   

Oh.My.GAWD! I would slap a biotch if she said that to me. Okay I prob wouldn't but I would remind her about a little thing some people refer to as the Hippocratic Oath and then ask her how the AMA would feel about her treatment of trans patients. Thank God I live in one of the most trans-friendly cities in the U.S. and have a large center to go to. Not to mention our gay news weekly which keeps up with mistreatment of trans women and men in the LGBT community. Here T isn't for token.

Quote from: kathy b on April 13, 2013, 12:12:39 PM
O.K.  "Social problem" ?  You sparked my interest and maybe I understand, but please explain.


But to go on about doctors and knowlege, most doctors have NO knowlege of Transgender issues.  And I'm not sure they even get much instruction in med schools because it isn't treated by medical doctors, but instead by pshychiatrists, and therapists.  And they're probably told exactly that.   

My General Practice Dr. is a woman in her early 50s and I'm her first transgender patient.  I asked her about treatment and referals for proper HRT to stop self medicating, and she said two very telling things that made me mad.  Can't remember exactly how it was said, but kinda like:

1.  "Female hormones are for women, not men.  They're dangerous!"    Then she added ...
2.  "A doctor won't give healthy people spironolactone.  It's for heart patients and can hurt you."   

She's still my doctor for medical issues only, but now she's at least curious about my transition, and I'm still her only trans patient.

Kathy

I would hand her a pamphlet from the APA (or another reliable source of information on hormone therapy), and then see her reaction afterwards. If she didn't change her mind I would probably file a complaint for discrimination...what she said is just ridiculous.

If I was treated like that I would be tempted to never come back to her again.

Quote from: Catherine Sarah on April 13, 2013, 12:30:02 PM
Dear Gawd, Kathy.
And she's still your Doctor!! ??  .....

Yes it's strange.  But she does little things like antibiotics when I need them, and gives referals to specialists for anything else.  Plus I like to see her reactions to me now.

Quote from: Alainaluvsu on April 13, 2013, 01:16:56 PM
"Then recommend that I have my testicles cut off. No more need for Spiro and thus no risk of contraindications on Estradiol since my production of testosterone is negligible. Problems solved!"

To get a referral to a surgeon I have to see her and say almost that to her.  I'll wait for her expression and let you know what she says.  This does add some entertainment value to a Dr. appointment.

Quote from: Joanna Dark on April 13, 2013, 02:17:38 PM
........Thank God I live in one of the most trans-friendly cities in the U.S. .......

We have a lot of doctors from India at our Kaiser clinic, as mine is, and I'm sure some of her reactions are cultural.  Choices of doctors are limited, and it's o.k., I live with it.    :)

Quote from: Sky-Blue on April 13, 2013, 02:25:46 PM
I would hand her a pamphlet from the APA (or another reliable source of information on hormone therapy), and then see her reaction afterwards. .....

I asked her to check the Kaiser web site for LGBT health.  It was easier.

Take care girls.   Everything's fine now with others doing HRT scripts and therapy.
Kathy

Quote from: Tammy M on April 12, 2013, 07:57:02 PM
Name a medical disorder that when a person follows the medically prescribed treatment for the disorder, a typical reaction of spouses, family and friends is to turn their backs on the person seeking treatment or urge them to deny treatment. In fact that reaction is so typical that it is the norm. People often hide in shame or go into denial for fear of losing the loves ones whose support they so desperately need.

I can only name one such disorder off the top of my head.

I still view ->-bleeped-<- as a natural variation of nature. The gender dysphoria is the mental disorder, the problem is society, not us. Regardless, I agree with you. ->-bleeped-<- should not be treated as a "fetish" or a "lifestyle choice", and unfortunately this is how most people see us. People are ignorant, they are not stupid; they can change their minds with the right information.