Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Muffin on March 03, 2010, 04:19:32 AM

Title: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: Muffin on March 03, 2010, 04:19:32 AM
I've been hopping around different GPs for months now trying to find one that knows anything about BHRT or that would at leave prescribe progesterone, but oh no nothing. None of them can even find prometrium on their computers, let along even heard of it. hhmm.
So I've decided to just keep my Endo and get the hormones myself.. but now after looking at two websites I'm confused, one was way too expensive and the other which had a better price required scripts :S
I have no idea where to begin looking and even if I do find one how do I know it's good?
Such a crappy situation to be in. The problems just keep piling up *sigh*.
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: rejennyrated on March 03, 2010, 04:56:59 AM
Muffin

Prometrium is only sold and registered in the UK as Utrogestan. For some reason the product license holder decided to use a different marketing name and the British National Formulary (which is the UK drugs database only lists it under that brand name).

Get them to look up that on their computers. It is prescribable on the NHS because I've been getting it for some years - but admittedly I did have to find it myself.

If you had read my other posts on HRT you would see that I have posted this information before.
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: Muffin on March 03, 2010, 05:12:50 AM
oops I really should of mentioned that, but I gave her both those brand names but nothing. She asked for the actual drug name but I didn't know other than progesterone :S
OH I'm in Australia, I've heard it's available here.. but it could of been put under some obscure brand name no doubt :P
I really don't know :S
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: spacial on March 03, 2010, 05:43:41 AM
I know a lot of Drs hate being told what to do.

You might have more success if you suggest progesterone and ask to discuss it.
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: Muffin on March 03, 2010, 09:02:04 AM
That is what I did! I told her I'd looked into all the different types of progesterones and progestins and found one that I would feel comfortable taking, one that is micronized and also considered bioidentical. Oh did she have a field day with that one!!! *sigh*. I would never suggest how a doctor should go about their job, I would never dare. But if one doctor can prescribe one thing and another can't then does that not suggest subjective personal opinion?
What is right in one persons eyes is wrong in another? It is up to me to find that doctor? Running around wasting time and money in the process or do I just say "Screw this I'm getting them off the net". ???
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: spacial on March 03, 2010, 09:29:55 AM
Subjective personal opinion is exactly what it is.

Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: Muffin on March 03, 2010, 09:35:37 AM
Internet it is.
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: Flan on March 03, 2010, 11:55:57 AM
standard disclaimer: we can't advise on where to obtain grey market meds.
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: Sarah Louise on March 03, 2010, 12:13:11 PM
Susan's does not approve of self medication:

8. The discussion of hormone replacement therapy(HRT) and it's medications are permitted, with the following limitations:


A. Advocating for or against a specific medication or combinations of medications for personal gain is strictly prohibited.
B. Discussing the means to acquire HRT medications without a prescription, and self medication without a doctors care is prohibited.
C. Discussing dosages is strongly discouraged to prevent information obtained on this site from being used to self medicate.

We can not in good conscience condone the self administering of these medications. Not only may self medication be illegal, but HRT medications can cause serious health problems, and many have the potential for life-threatening side effects that can only be detected and prevented with proper medical supervision.


Please do not ask for hepf in that area.

Sarah L.
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: Arch on March 03, 2010, 12:43:25 PM
I don't understand. Does your endo object to your using this substance?
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: kyril on March 03, 2010, 01:01:58 PM
If you have an endo, surely they ought to be able to prescribe hormones for you, that being their area of specialty - I have no idea why you were trying to go through your GP or why you'd consider going grey-market when you have access to a perfectly good endocrinologist.

If your endo won't do it, then he or she is the problem, not your GPs - hormones are way out of their area of expertise and they can't be expected to be confident making those decisions for someone who's already seeing a specialist in that area.
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: girl_ashley on March 03, 2010, 01:21:42 PM
Thanks Sarah.  Though, I feel like I've read this somewhere before...

Quote from: Sarah Louise on March 03, 2010, 12:13:11 PM
Susan's does not approve of self medication:

8. The discussion of hormone replacement therapy(HRT) and it's medications are permitted, with the following limitations:


A. Advocating for or against a specific medication or combinations of medications for personal gain is strictly prohibited.
B. Discussing the means to acquire HRT medications without a prescription, and self medication without a doctors care is prohibited.
C. Discussing dosages is strongly discouraged to prevent information obtained on this site from being used to self medicate.

We can not in good conscience condone the self administering of these medications. Not only may self medication be illegal, but HRT medications can cause serious health problems, and many have the potential for life-threatening side effects that can only be detected and prevented with proper medical supervision.
Title: Re: I've had it with GPs they're useless, considering online...
Post by: Naturally Blonde on March 08, 2010, 01:17:44 AM
Quote from: Muffin on March 03, 2010, 04:19:32 AM
I've been hopping around different GPs for months now trying to find one that knows anything about BHRT or that would at leave prescribe progesterone, but oh no nothing. None of them can even find prometrium on their computers, let along even heard of it. hhmm.
So I've decided to just keep my Endo and get the hormones myself.. but now after looking at two websites I'm confused, one was way too expensive and the other which had a better price required scripts :S
I have no idea where to begin looking and even if I do find one how do I know it's good?
Such a crappy situation to be in. The problems just keep piling up *sigh*.

I have the deepest sympathy for anyone going through the U.K's NHS system. U.K GP's are pretty nieve and uneducated when it comes to dealing with gender dysphoria patients and it doesn't surprise me at all that the GP's you have seen know absolutely nothing. I've been through it and it's usually a bit of a fight to get the medication you need.

The best thing is to find a good endo you are happy with and ask him to suggest any medication you need in a letter to your GP. The GP should then prescribe the medication no matter if they know anything about the medication or not.