I don't know if this is the right place to post this (if it's not admins can move it.)
I just kinda need trans community support right now...
I was denied hormone replacement therapy. Not because I am not gender dysphoric. But because they did a test on me to check my testosterone levels, and they are astronomically high. And continuing with it could be extremely dangerous.
The endocrinologist said this exactly "There are one of two possible outcomes, either you take the hormones, and they do absolutely nothing for you because the testosterone is pretty much eating it all up. Or you take them and could end up very ill or worse from a total hormonal imbalance."
He won't let me take them. I did ask about the stuff from like GNC, or Vitamin Shoppe. But apparently those are just vitamins to make the body produce the hormone, but the "estrogen" you buy there does NOTHING for men.
So now I have to go to therapy... they called it "detransitional therapy"??? I have to see a therapist 3 times a month for a year. and if at any time the therapist believes I am a danger to others or myself, they will "take action" (which I assume means institutionalization)
I NEED HELP! :(
How high were they? I'm not a doctor but it seems to me that an androgen suppressor would fix that and the rest could proceed. If you can, maybe you should seek another medical opinion with an endocrinologist experienced in this type of treatment.
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Wow, that's awful, I'm so sorry to hear about your struggle. As with any sort of negative medical diagnosis, it's always good to seek alternate opinions if possible. I don't know what you mean that you "have to" go to detransitional therapy, are you still a minor?
I imagine that there are others that have faced similar choices (or lack thereof), so please stick around. And take some comfort, if you can, from the idea that we can't imagine in advance what life has in store. Sometimes what seems like a terrible circumstance today leads you down a path to a place where you might otherwise never have gone. I have learned after many, many odd twists and turns to have faith, not like going to church, but rather keeping an optimistic spirit.
And finally, read up on what others' experiences have been with OTC supplements. If a doctor says it doesn't work, but you find that it does, then she's wrong. Doctors don't know everything. Hang in there, jessylin!
You should ask about orchiectomy...
Hi,
Someone is lying to you. Best guess is a combination of your current therapist and your endo. There are a number ways to take care of testosterone. This is insane.
Start over with a new psych. Go for a little while and go to a new endo.
Hugs,
Jen
A lot of what these people are telling you seems very suspect. I've never heard of high t being a bar to HRT, and detrabsitional therapy sounds highly unethical from the way it was described. I think you should seek a new endo and a new therapist.
Forgive me but I sense that something is missing. WHO says you Have to go to therapy 3 times a month for a year? Why would the therapist think that you are a danger to yourself or others? Is there part of the story that we don't have?
Huh...like others have said sounds wrong.
Quote from: jessilynn on December 12, 2015, 07:56:26 AM
I don't know if this is the right place to post this (if it's not admins can move it.)
I just kinda need trans community support right now...
I was denied hormone replacement therapy. Not because I am not gender dysphoric. But because they did a test on me to check my testosterone levels, and they are astronomically high. And continuing with it could be extremely dangerous.
The endocrinologist said this exactly "There are one of two possible outcomes, either you take the hormones, and they do absolutely nothing for you because the testosterone is pretty much eating it all up. Or you take them and could end up very ill or worse from a total hormonal imbalance."
He won't let me take them. I did ask about the stuff from like GNC, or Vitamin Shoppe. But apparently those are just vitamins to make the body produce the hormone, but the "estrogen" you buy there does NOTHING for men.
So now I have to go to therapy... they called it "detransitional therapy"??? I have to see a therapist 3 times a month for a year. and if at any time the therapist believes I am a danger to others or myself, they will "take action" (which I assume means institutionalization)
I NEED HELP! :(
OH MY
I have never heard of such a thing. I think someone is lying to you as there is a thousand ways to take the T out. If I were you I would seek a new doctor and endo. Someone is filling you full of lies.
Lyndsey
Something doesn't add up. I don't know if there are things that you haven't told us that would cast a different light on things, but these folks sound like people you'd want to stay very far away from.
If they're saying your testosterone levels are too high, why aren't they investigating that? I'm no doctor, but I recall someone who was on HRT posting that they had been showing abnormally high testotsterone levels, and it turned out to be testicular cancer. (Note: testicular cancer is a cancer which usually doesn't show obvious symptoms until it's too late, so if your levels could be due to that, it's outright malpractice not to investigate it.)
"Detransitional therapy" sounds an awful lot like "conversion therapy," which is known to be harmful with no benefits.
"Danger to self or others?" Obviously, if a therapist thinks there's immediate signs of danger, they'll take action, but I've never heard of a therapist bringing that up without being asked, unless it's some situation like the ER. Their telling you this sounds like bullying.
When you say you "have" to go to a therapist: who or what is forcing you? Are you under 18? Are you dependent upon your parents?
Get a new endo and a new therapist? Yeah, something sounds really wrong. Were you on testosterone blockers?
Yeah, they're full of it, you need to see different people. The idea that your testosterone is too high, and therefore estrogen won't do anything is nonsense on its face, but normally they would start you off on testosterone blockers, to reduce your t levels so that less estrogen would have more effect. Without the blockers you would still be able to achieve the same effects with higher dosages of estrogen, but that comes with its own risk. What they told you was that it wouldn't work at all, which is nonsense.
Herbal estrogens arguably are not effective, and in high dosages are dangerous, can lead to strokes and bloodclots, but that isn't how they work... it isn't that they make a woman's body release more estrogen, and thus have no effects on mtfs... they contain a kind of pseudo-estrogen, which is molecularly similar to estrogen, and binds to the same receptors. Though, there isn't strong evidence that they have much of any feminizing effects, and even though they may in extremely high dosages, they become really dangerous at those dosages. So, I wouldn't recommend them either, but the stuff the doctor is telling you sounds made up...
I imagine that you had quite a wait to see the doctor, so it had to be annoying to seek a different one, but seems necessary in your case. I would attempt to find a doctor through LGBT resources, and recommendations.
Hope that things work out for you!
The only thing you were told by him that sounds true was about the herbals, they won't do anything. The rest sounds like rubbish. Please find a new endocrinologist, one who actually knows what they are talking about. Also, surgical removal of the testes would most likely solve the issue, speak to a more knowledgable doctor. Which country are you from? That might explain some of the weirdly backwards psychological approach of "detransition" therapy...
Get a second opinion. I've never heard of someone pushing detransition as a result of any lab test. There are ways to manage hormone issues. Detransition is not the first route you go down.
To Detransition would be like suicide for me, I can't believe that someone actually said that to you!!!! Sounds to me like the Doctor knows nothing about Transitioning to me. I think that when you get straitened out you should call the board on that person or persons.
Lyndsey
I'm not saying this is the case but it is possible that the doctor is anti-trans and is trying to block you from transitioning. Like others have said seek a second opinion.
Adding a little to my earlier post....
I was at a world renound clinic and saw the assistant director of endochronology as I was having hormone difficulties. Basically, during my last appointment, where it was clear that I was transgender and intended to trasnsition, he yelled "I don't care. We are going to put you on a high dose of testosterone and you are staying male."
There are doctors out there with strong anti-trans bias. You seem to be unfortunate enough to have run into both a anti-trans psych and an anti-trans doctor.
Hugs,
Jen
If no testosterone suppressant works, they can always do the old snippy snippy.
And many people have successfully* transitioned without HRT.
Find a new doctor, this one is clearly pushing his beliefs onto you.
*as defined by themselves
Quote from: JLT1 on December 12, 2015, 03:56:40 PM
Adding a little to my earlier post....
I was at a world renound clinic and saw the assistant director of endochronology as I was having hormone difficulties. Basically, during my last appointment, where it was clear that I was transgender and intended to trasnsition, he yelled "I don't care. We are going to put you on a high dose of testosterone and you are staying male."
There are doctors out there with strong anti-trans bias. You seem to be unfortunate enough to have run into both a anti-trans psych and an anti-trans doctor.
Hugs,
Jen
Not a coincidence, Jen. If you have an antitrans therapist who manages to hide it and you insist on HRT, where are they going to send you?
I'm sorry this has happened to you. Like most people have said, you need to seek a second opinion. Do some research and find some trans-friendly doctors and endocrinologists in your area. Or not in your area if there are none. De-transitional therapy makes it sounds like they are very much anti-trans.
On the bright side it sounds like they are lying to you which means hopefully you can still go on HRT once you find someone more friendly.
good luck xxx
Quote from: Deborah on December 12, 2015, 08:08:17 AM
How high were they? I'm not a doctor but it seems to me that an androgen suppressor would fix that and the rest could proceed. If you can, maybe you should seek another medical opinion with an endocrinologist experienced in this type of treatment.
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Agree . . .
It is so hard for me to accept that there are people out there in professional medical occupations, who think like this and would basically lie to you. That would make me so angry.
When i went to my GP and was ready for HRT, i asked if she felt like i should see an endo specialist instead of her, not that i did not really like her, but i wanted to get her opinion, she said " we have one endo in this practice and she is one of the few in this town, i can help you all the way. " and "she will not really have an interest in treating someone who is trans" . That tells me the doc she was referring to was somehow against transgender care. At least that i can understand sort of, not taking a patient and then lying to her.
It turned out my GP could do it, studied up for me and has been doing great. I am only like her third trans patient, but she is really kind to me.
Sorry you had to go through that.
Yea they are decieveing you. there are so many ways to take care of the issue. i would def seek a different set of opinions. idk where u are located but i know a couple good ones i my location.