Hey guys, so I notice a lot of you have been taking big steps in transition lately and I was wondering a few things.
How long was it from the time you saw the doctor the first time to when you got T?
How many different doctors did you see along the way?
What country do you live in?
How old where you when you first saw a doctor and when you started T?
You don't have to answer all the questions, just some or none, Thanks ;D
Early 2010 - First appointment with therapist
March 2010 - T Letter
May 2010 - Prescription for T
4 weeks ago - First shot of T
I saw one therapist and one doctor, and I live in the US. Technically I guess I went to an endo right after I got my T letter, but it turns out she didn't prescribe and was really...really clueless about trans stuff. (I had some blood work done unrelated to trans issues, and she used the insurance billing code for trans so my insurance wouldn't cover it. It was EXPENSIVE, and I was mad.)
There are some big gaps in my timeline, for example it was a few months between the time I got my letter and when I went to get my first shot. That was my choice - I had to wait to move out into my own place before I felt comfortable.
I think I got pretty lucky in terms of doctors and stuff...I've got a super nice doctor at a low-cost clinic.
Lemme know if you've got any more questions. :]
August '09- Asked for a referal to a GIC. I was 17 almost 18
7/6/10 First GIC appointment. Would have been longer wait if I hadn't already had a psychologist because i'd have to had waited to see one of those.
2/9/10 My second GIC appointment was 3 months after my first. I got the ok for T then. I had not long turned 19.
18/9/10 Three weeks letter I got the letter I was copied in on that my gp should have too saying to perscribe me T.
22/9/10 Last wednesday I started T ;D
I'm in England and transitioned on the NHS.
2/08 Realized I was trans. Was already seeing therapist but a regular one.
3/08 Started getting hair cut, changing clothes
4/08 Started seeing gender therapist.
6/08 Started Group therapy with gender therapist; Also gyn visit to schedule hysto (med reasons) and first visit to endo.
7/08 Second endo visit and started T.
8/08 Hysto.
9/08 Started passing more.
12/08 Top surgery.
7/10 Lower surgery
In US with insurance. Paid out of pocket for top and lower surgery.
Dec 08 - Went to see a local psychiatrist - he was useless and was only after money.
Jan/Feb 09 - Found a Psychologist whose specialty is ->-bleeped-<- - saw him 3/4times
Mar/Apr 09 - Psychologist referred me to a psychiatrist who was head of the sex clinic but it closed down a couple years ago
May 09 - Started T with Psychiatrist (same time i had to see another psychologist)
Sep '10 - Top Surgery
I live in Hong Kong where there is the public system which is absolutely useless. Luckily I was able to find a private doc who could help me although it really strained me financially but well worth it. He also administers my hormones.
I was just turning 20 when I saw my first psychologist and now 21 :) But i'm moving to Australia so i'm sure things will be different there to which docs i need to see and so forth. I've never had any blood tests done or anything of the sort...so hopefully when I move to oz they can help me there.
Cheers.
Everything happened so fast for you guys. I started seeing a gender therapist in April '10, got my T letter a month or two later, 3-5 visits. I've been on HRT waiting lists for months and can't get in to see an endo until November '10 or Feb '11. I live in the US by the way.
May/June 2009 - Finally admitted to myself that "this" wasn't going to go away and I had to face it head on, came out to girlfriend at the time
July 2009 - Started coming out to family and friends
December 2009 - Came out to all the rest of my friends/facebook/etc. Everyone except my kids, their dad (my ex), and work (though I had already told a few close coworkers)
January 27, 2010 - Got my referral to the Gender Specialist (was originally told it'd be at least a year til I got in to see him)
May 3, 2010 - Came out to my kids' dad (the hardest part of this whole transition so far, bar none)
June 15, 2010 - Saw the Gender Specialist, got my endo referral same appointment
June 22, 2010 - Came out officially at work
June 25, 2010 - First YouTube vlog (which reminds me, I've really gotta get my butt in gear and do an update!)
July 1, 2010 - Came out to my kids
July 15, 2010 - received actual appointment date/time for endocrinologist
August 3, 2010 - legal name change
September 9, 2010 - changed the gender marker on my drivers' license (new legislation here that doesn't require surgery)
September 14, 2010 - Endo appointment, got T script, was taught how to self-inject
September 21, 2010 - started T
-Still changing my name on all of my various documentation (there's a LOT, lol)
-Still on a wait list for referral to surgeon for top surgery.
-Will get hysto eventually, but not in a huge rush.
-Likely won't have bottom surgery (unless huge advances are made, and even then, I'd wait until enough people had been successfully through it to gauge satisfaction with risk/results)
That's my timeline :)
march 2003-starting as stealth male in society and at home
january 2004- came out as trans and continued living as male
april 2010-started seeing therapist
april 2010-scheduled appointment with Endo waited 4 months
august 2010- endo appointment
september 2010- got perscription
september 20 2010-got T
september 27 2010- went to doctor to get T shot
I Live in the U.S. I went to one pediatric endocrinologist. I saw my therapist for 5 months and he wrote a letter no problem. I got my first T shot at 17.
My endo was really cool. He has never had a trans patient before so he consulted with his endo friend who had done this hundreds of times.