Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transsexual talk => Female to male transsexual talk (FTM) => Topic started by: JakeGrimm on June 06, 2009, 04:25:32 PM

Title: where do I start?
Post by: JakeGrimm on June 06, 2009, 04:25:32 PM
I've been trying to make gameplans basically. I just dunno where I should start. Do I go to a doctor first? Can it be just any doctor or does it have to be a specialist? I just assumed that I'd see a doctor, then a "shrink", then doctors... or something. Idk.

Also, does anyone know if Medical covers trans stuff? I dun really know my worker all that well yet so I've been really nervous as to asking her...

Last, I'll be getting my hair cut as soon as I can. ^.^ I actually had a dream about how it'd look LOL.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: Nero on June 06, 2009, 05:07:11 PM
Well, it really depends on your area. There are different gameplans depending on where you're at. If you're in Britain or Canada as well as some other places, you go to your national health care system.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: JakeGrimm on June 06, 2009, 05:23:25 PM
Alas, I'm in Southern California in the 'wonderful' USofA. lol.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: Nero on June 06, 2009, 05:30:20 PM
bay area? apparently you can bypass the shrink down there.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: JakeGrimm on June 06, 2009, 05:34:26 PM
High Desert (aka, HELL) lol.
But I'm sure once I get a car, I can go down to the bay area. Specially if it'll help me save on the shrink. lol. I'm sort of sheltered, lol, where is teh Bay area? lol
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: Nero on June 06, 2009, 05:35:24 PM
Paging Mister and Tekla.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: Jaimey on June 06, 2009, 07:15:50 PM
Flexible spending accounts (FSA) cover trans stuff, so I would assume that insurance does too...the rule of thumb was that if insurance covers it, so does the FSA.  It may have required a letter of medical necessity (the hormones would, I don't remember about the surgery), but in this case it would be approved.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: JakeGrimm on June 06, 2009, 07:44:46 PM
Okie dokie ^.^ Thanks much! *hugs*
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: myles on June 06, 2009, 08:00:26 PM
My insurance is not covering any of my transition costs, Hormones, surgery or anything else. But some insurances do so you need to ask in your case your case worker.
Myles
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: Ender on June 06, 2009, 08:46:16 PM
My insurance doesn't cover this.  In fact, it's explicitly stated in the policy that it does not cover transsexual treatment of any sort.  Apparently, some (very few) people have had luck with their insurance covering some stuff in the US, though.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: Mister on June 06, 2009, 08:49:10 PM
The bay area would be san francisco, which is quite a drive from you.  If you feel comfortable, PM me where in SoCal you are and I'll send you some resources.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: JakeGrimm on June 06, 2009, 09:01:33 PM
blah. well, wish me luck, then. lol.

was I right about starting with a doctor, though?
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: myles on June 06, 2009, 09:52:10 PM
Jake I would PM mister and ask him since he can help you out better with your area. It really is dependent on where you live and what is available there.
Cheers
Myles
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: JakeGrimm on June 06, 2009, 09:54:32 PM
I did pm him a little bit ago. I just wasn't sure if that was going to be included. sry.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: Mister on June 06, 2009, 11:04:20 PM
You can generally either start with a doctor or a therapist.  If you find a doc who'll start treatment under informed consent (i.e. you're an adult and recognize what you're doing) than you can forego therapy altogether, unless you feel you need/want it.  If you're stuck doing a SOC transition, it'll be therapist first, doctor second, though that order can be reversed if a doc or therapist has someone in the other profession they work with often.

In other words, hold tight for 24 hours.  Let me do some asking around and I'll talk you through your options once I find out what exactly they are.
Title: Re: where do I start?
Post by: JakeGrimm on June 06, 2009, 11:40:49 PM
Okie dokie ^.^ Thank you much <3