For the last 28 years, I've led a quiet life. Now I have to find a new Dr. because the one I have is biased. I've been there several times and he has not even listened to my heart. He is a stickler on taking blood every month. Last time I went, he kept asking me what my symptoms were that led to using androderm. I told him that I was a F to M transgener and the only symptoms at the time was being in the wrong body. He kept insisting, so I asked him if I new what I was talking about.
Has anyone else in this forum experienced problems with physicians?
Sam1234+
In my experience with doctors, they are not all created equal. Just because you have an M.D., it doesn't necessarily make you "right", "wise" or "smart". Trust me, I've seen a few that were "wrong", "thought we haven't made any advancements since they graduated med school", or "probably are whacked out on painkillers or uppers".
My docs get one shot. If I don't like what I see right away, I look elsewhere now.
Jill,
I definately agree with you. Dr. s are not all alike. I hate starting over with new physicians, because you have to go through the whole explanation thing. In this day and age, you'd think that Dr.s would at least get some exposure to transgenders, but I guess not.
Personally, I think part of it is that people tend to think of gender dysphoria as a "sex" perversion. In actuality, it has nothing to do with sex. Our culture seems to be uncomfortable with anything they perceive as being sexual. I can't see that needing gender reassignment is any different than wanting to have a cleft palate fixed or a hernia.
Sam21234
Hi there Sam
I live in a remote area with a catholic funded hospital which most every doctor in the area relies on. and they have a very limited exposure or knowledge of gender identity issues. as a result most of the people here go to the next town which is about 80 miles each way for medical and hrt issues. I have choose to stay local and work with an endo for my hrt so we are both learning as I go, as far as my regular doctor it is a battle every time we meet, he is russian orthodox and just loves my ex wife so I can expect 2 hr visits of which 1.75 hours of is lectures about how wrong what I am doing is. although he was the one who kept pushing for me get therapy and to quit trying to kill myself a few years earlier. I guess they are just people at the end of day some stuburn some understanding some smart, but not all.
if you can switch around until you find a team that you are comfortable with, it is hard enough to get through this as it is and we need good support for our medical issues at least. remember you are paying them you are the boss always
good luck
The physician I have now is of another culture, which I will not reveal to avoid hurt feelings. In his culture, transgenders are looked down upon. I found this out after spending time online with a M to F who can't transition because she is of that culture. I don't want the physician I am seeing to think that i am changing Dr.s just because of his culture, so I guess i will just use personality conflicts as the reason for changing.
Wording here is touchy if you want your insurance to pay for HRT. If the physician puts down that you need the hormones due to gender reassignment, there goes the insurance and those patches cost a fortune!
Sam1234
As for me, I am searching for a new Doctor. He didn't say anything negative about me but I read derogertory stuff he wrote about my gender idenity disorder. I don't care to repeat it.
Kiria
My doctor is great. The nurse practitioner that sees me is trans and she's pretty good too. You can tell that they care and they do a bunch of tests and other stuff whenever I go.
I have had a mix of good and bad over the years.
One of them was an Indian doc and he cared but his remedy was to drastically alter my diet. No medication even though I had stage 1 hypertension.
Other one was a NP I went to see for pain issues. She gave me vitamin D and ran bloodwork. Not all that useful.
Third one I saw was pretty good. He put me on the right meds and I was feeling better in a short while. I also had lifestyle modification and it worked great. I had to drop him due to insurance changes thanks to the ACA.
Then the whole trans thing came into focus and I got a doctor and NP that does HRT and primary. This is where I am now. So far so good. She doesn't judge and they call me by my preferred name. They give me choices to make instead of just pushing pills.
It would be interesting to know what medical students are taught concerning transgenders these days. Obviously not every single problem can be addressed in the short time of 4 years. Even in internships and residencies, Dr.s are only going to see what comes in during their rotations. I just wish that more were open to the idea that gender dysphoria is not a mental illness but rather a disagreement between mind and body.
sam1234
Doctors are people and subject to the same quirks as the general society. I just happens that I am a genetic male with gynecomastia and have a female Dr.
She does palpates my breasts and my testes for lumps and is always very professional. We have discussed the possibility of breast reduction or gender re-assignment surgery and decided that as I was happy there was no medical reason to proceed.
The first time she saw my panties she told me that many men wore them and gave me a genuine compliment on the style. Since then she has never mentioned my dress in any way.