So I see my endocrinologist for the first time on November 6th! This is a big step in everyone's transition, obviously, but its even more exciting for me (like, I'm excited on top of excited. not that my transition is any more important than anyone else's). It was hard to find someone who would take me where I live, and we finally did after a lot of searching. So question, what should I expect on the first appointment? Like, I'm sure I wont get T right away, but I seriously have no idea what to expect. Thoughts and experiences anyone?
I hope your visit goes better then my first. My first endo told me I had a receding hairline and called me by my old name (which had already been legally changed)
My next endo talked with me about the changes I should expect and then gave me my shot, yours may want to do blood work first.
I think it really depends on your endo. Mine required me to have a letter and wrote my script on the first visit. He didn't do bloodwork or any of that. Him not doing bloodwork was just the tip of it, and yeah there are some endos/other docs out there who are only catering to the trans community in order to make bank. Proof of this from my former endo is that he made me drive and see him every six months just to get a new script instead of just calling it in to the pharmacy. No reason for me to go see him when he wasn't doing bloodwork or the like. He just wanted me to have to pay office visit costs ($75 that's on top of gas I had to spend to drive an hour to his office). That's ok though cause I dropped him after the first follow up visit and my PCP who is in my town handles my transition and does my bloodwork.
I did recommend the endo to other guys around here, but only because there are practically no doctors in my state who are willing to see trans people, unless you want to make a ridiculously long drive (I'm talking 6 hours) but I always tell whoever I give his name to that he doesn't do bloodwork and that they should make sure they find someone to do it for them.
It just depends how your doc wants to do it. Mine had me do blood work on my first visit and he also wrote me my prescription that day. From what I've seen on here it seems like 1 or2 visits is pretty average
thanks guys, I appreciate the feedback :)
He did end up just ordering blood work and he said that pending the results, I should get hormones in the next visit. Which will be sometime next month!