Ok so I finally heard from the gender services and I was asked a lot of questions from the over the phone appointment for the services. Suprisingly NOTHING about gender, just mental health stuff
have I ever self harmed
have i ever had drinking problems
have i ever wanted to die
have i ever attempted suicide
have I ever been sectioned
stuff like that. They almost hung up before I asked if they were going to ask me anything else and I explained while I dont necessarily know if hormones and procedures are definitely what I want, I do realize I get very VERY distressed about parts of my body that are male anatomy and I feel I need help.
Theyve told me because I have a history of anxiety and depression they want to wait and reassess me in a year.
Im not sure if this is normal but I was quite surprised that they didnt ask anything specifically about gender
Was it specifically a LGBTQ center? Maybe check online reviews and google another clinic.
Quote from: jaybutterfly on May 24, 2017, 07:32:56 AM
Ok so I finally heard from the gender services and I was asked a lot of questions from the over the phone appointment for the services. Suprisingly NOTHING about gender, just mental health stuff
have I ever self harmed
have i ever had drinking problems
have i ever wanted to die
have i ever attempted suicide
have I ever been sectioned
stuff like that. They almost hung up before I asked if they were going to ask me anything else and I explained while I dont necessarily know if hormones and procedures are definitely what I want, I do realize I get very VERY distressed about parts of my body that are male anatomy and I feel I need help.
Theyve told me because I have a history of anxiety and depression they want to wait and reassess me in a year.
Im not sure if this is normal but I was quite surprised that they didnt ask anything specifically about gender
This sounds a lot like the psychiatric initial assessment I had with the VA to see if I had other issues before referring me to gender therapy. With their response I gather they think you may have some underlying concerns that need to be addressed before moving forward. The part I do not understand is the "See you next year" part. If think think something needs to be addressed why are they not addressing it? Issues do unusually just go away on their own.
Perhaps you need to call back for clarification of where you go from here if you can.
Hugs,
Laurie
Quote from: Raell on May 24, 2017, 07:53:46 AM
Was it specifically a LGBTQ center? Maybe check online reviews and google another clinic.
It was an NHS gender services, they think I need to address depression and anxiety before I go further... which seems odd because they already got sent the info that I have depression and anxiety and Im in treatment for it, they then suggested in a letter sent to my doctors that I need care, care Im already getting.
Im confused
I live in the UK and am also a bit confused about your post. You don't need to see a general psychiatrist anymore to be referred to a GIC. And a lot of doctors now know that you can have mental health issues and be trans at the same time. Sounds like you talked with someone on the phone who hasn't received the right training. This may help you find a trans friendly GP http://transfigurations.org.uk/trans-friendly-doctors/. You can receive HRT without seeing someone at a GIC first. You can also go private via Gender GP or gender care. This route isn't as unavailable as most people think it is; as long as you start living frugally for a few months.
Was this with Leeds? They didn't go into gender stuff because they'd already found a reason to exclude you before they got that far.
That telephone consultation is something they started doing a while back: it's a screening call and its purpose is to try to make their waiting list as short as possible. It's worked, too: Leeds' waiting list was 4 years as of last year; now it's down to 2 years... mainly because they're weeding out people who don't push hard enough. They're getting rid of patients who aren't desperate for GIC treatment; they'll only see you if you're a good candidate who seems to have a clear-cut case of Gender Dysphoria.
The calls start with your mental and physical health, because that's one of the main areas on which they can exclude potential patients. So if you have any mental illnesses - including depression and anxiety - they will expect these to be well managed before they see you because you need to be mentally stable before being seen by gender services. But if as you say you're already in treatment, then those conditions should not present a barrier to you and they shouldn't be able to exclude you for them. They'll only move onto gender stuff if they're happy that your mental health is either good or well-managed, and for some reason the call handler thought yours wasn't, so they didn't move onto the next section.
Another problem may be that you expressed uncertainty about whether hormones etc. will be right for you. The staff member who calls you isn't a doctor - they're more likely a nurse or similar - so they can only assess clear-cut cases of Gender Dysphoria, not the more subtle cases such as yours. So that means they can't be sure from the phone consultation that you have Gender Dysphoria. Of course they fobbed you off: the NHS as a whole - not just Gender Services - is all about fobbing off as many people as possible so that only the truly desperate get seen. :-\
So... what to do now? you have a couple of options:
- If this has just happened today, call them back and ask to speak to a supervisor. Tell them you think the call wasn't handled correctly and explain where you think they went wrong. If you do this quickly enough, you might be able to correct the mistake & stop a letter from being sent to your GP... and you may be able to save your place on the waiting list. If a supervisor isn't available, call the hospital's PALS service and ask them to intervene.
- If you find it easier to get your point across in person rather than over the phone, ask for the screening appointment to be done in person, with a different staff member. Not everyone can use the phone (I can't for example) so they have to make face-to-face appointments available.
- Once you have their refusal in writing, immediately lodge a written complaint (contact the hospital's PALS service for details on how to do this), detailing all the points that you believe to be incorrect. Their refusal letter will also go to your GP so make sure you discuss it with your GP too, and ask whether your GP would be willing to complain on your behalf alongside your complaint. A letter from your GP (once again) explaining the treatment you're receiving will go a long way.
- If all else fails, ask your GP to refer you to a different GIC. If you're in the Leeds area, Sheffield is your nearest bet - although you are entitled to go to any GIC in England, irrespective of geography.
The current waiting times for a first appointment are:
Newcastle: 13 months
Daventry: 24 months
Nottingham: 24 months
Charing Cross: 14 months
Laurels, Exeter: 14 months
Sheffield: 16 months
Leeds: 24 months
So if I were you, I'd start by ringing back & asking to speak to a supervisor; then lodging a written complaint; then if that fails, get your GP to refer you elsewhere. Definitely mention that the assessor misunderstood your mental health status and disregarded the evidence you've already provided them that you're being treated for it.
Good luck! :)
I'm at a therapist who isn't specifically about gender and she is in many ways a strong gatekeeper..she won't guide me down the transition path easily.
We've settled on two hard truths.
1. I strongly dislike men and never had a positive male role model.
2. I greatly admire womanhood.
She argues that doesn't make me a woman - although all people are on the gender spectrum.
Ultimately I know she wants to help me cope without transition.
What I don't know yet is if that's the right or wrong approach..i'd hate if transition regret struck after the event
Quote from: Sarah77 on May 25, 2017, 12:34:54 PM
I'm at a therapist who isn't specifically about gender and she is in many ways a strong gatekeeper..she won't guide me down the transition path easily.
We've settled on two hard truths.
1. I strongly dislike men and never had a positive male role model.
2. I greatly admire womanhood.
She argues that doesn't make me a woman - although all people are on the gender spectrum.
Ultimately I know she wants to help me cope without transition.
What I don't know yet is if that's the right or wrong approach..i'd hate if transition regret struck after the event
From what I've seen, those 2 points are pretty common for many transitioners. Right now, looks like she's getting insight right. If she's a skilled therapist she may help you a lot.
Usually depressive feeligns, high anxiety levels, poor anxiety management and obsessive-compulsive patterns are issues present in many cases. IMHO is crucial to solve any psychological psychological stuff whether you decide to transition or not.
Quote from: FTMDiaries
The current waiting times for a first appointment are:
Newcastle: 13 months
Daventry: 24 months
Nottingham: 24 months
Charing Cross: 14 months
Laurels, Exeter: 14 months
Sheffield: 16 months
Leeds: 24 months
Holly molly. Thought things in UK went way faster.
How much time since first visit until getting vaginoplasty?
Quote from: Wednesday on May 25, 2017, 12:58:37 PM
Holly molly. Thought things in UK went way faster.
How much time since first visit until getting vaginoplasty?
It's also now a 9 month wait for a 2nd appointment at Charring Cross and you need two assessments to get HRT or any surgeries. Surgery wait times depend on how long you need to wait for a 2nd appointment, whether you're approved and if you're planning to see a surgeon who carries out operations both on private as well as NHS patients.
Quote from: Wednesday on May 25, 2017, 12:58:37 PM
Holly molly. Thought things in UK went way faster.
Yeah, that's the downside of socialised medicine: we may not have to go into enormous debt to pay for our medical care (because we pay for it every month in instalments instead, via taxes & National Insurance) but because we're not directly paying for the services, we have absolutely no buying power. So we have to approach the NHS as supplicants rather than as customers - and that means that someone else holds all the power & you get what you're given. :-\
I honestly don't understand why the British make such a song and dance (literally, at the London Olympics) about the NHS. I've had much better treatment - and far more prompt treatment - in third-world countries. It's not all it's cracked up to be.
Quote from: Wednesday on May 25, 2017, 12:58:37 PM
How much time since first visit until getting vaginoplasty?
Realistically? At least 3 years.
I,ve got so bloody sick & tried of the NHS route (24 months) waiting time I,ve decided to sell a lot of my possessions to fund it the private way 😢 so it will be a matter of months.
The NHS were supposed to sign my form for a concessionary bus pass, they said it would take 21 days, it took them 7 weeks. Would have taken longer if I didn't chase them on it. Their wait time of in excess of 2 years for gender therapy essentially means I have to do this without them.
Quote from: Sarah77 on May 25, 2017, 12:34:54 PM
She argues that doesn't make me a woman - although all people are on the gender spectrum.
Ultimately I know she wants to help me cope without transition.
I have my first GIC appointment next month and this is the root of all the impossible questions - What does make someone a woman? I mean, let's forget about the trans spectrum and say - what makes a woman a woman? What makes a man a man?