My psychologist messaged me today - my referral to the one and only gender clinic in the country ("we" like monopolies, or at least the politicians do) has been rejected, since they want me to go to therapy until next summer/fall before being considered. At least it's only temporary.

I'd be okay with that, if it meant I could get treatment sometime next fall. But no. At worst, the waiting time for the first appointment could be around eight months from the time of my next referral. And then, they spend one year making a diagnosis, before I'm even allowed to start HRT - if they confirm my diagnosis (there have been some weird cases of random diagnostic criteria, and there's no second opinion available currently). So basically I have more than two years of limbo ahead of me. And I have to go to uni for a final in two hours - perfect timing. I knew this wouldn't be easy, but still... I hate this feeling of being in a vacuum.

At least, there's a bright point - there are rumors a newly established commission for evaluation of the trans* treatment program in my country will decide to enforce the SoC, in addition to making a second opinion available. They're supposed to finish the new national guidelines by the end of 2014, and since I won't see the inside of a/the gender clinic before 2015, the wait could actually work to my advantage. I'm having a hard time making constructive thinking into constructive feeling, right now, though.

Big hug!  I wish it were faster, and in the future, it will be a better process. We'll be here for you no matter what!

Hugs, Devlyn

Quote from: Rina on December 05, 2013, 04:42:56 AM
My psychologist messaged me today - my referral to the one and only gender clinic in the country ("we" like monopolies, or at least the politicians do) has been rejected, since they want me to go to therapy until next summer/fall before being considered. At least it's only temporary.

I'd be okay with that, if it meant I could get treatment sometime next fall. But no. At worst, the waiting time for the first appointment could be around eight months from the time of my next referral. And then, they spend one year making a diagnosis, before I'm even allowed to start HRT - if they confirm my diagnosis (there have been some weird cases of random diagnostic criteria, and there's no second opinion available currently). So basically I have more than two years of limbo ahead of me. And I have to go to uni for a final in two hours - perfect timing. I knew this wouldn't be easy, but still... I hate this feeling of being in a vacuum.

At least, there's a bright point - there are rumors a newly established commission for evaluation of the trans* treatment program in my country will decide to enforce the SoC, in addition to making a second opinion available. They're supposed to finish the new national guidelines by the end of 2014, and since I won't see the inside of a/the gender clinic before 2015, the wait could actually work to my advantage. I'm having a hard time making constructive thinking into constructive feeling, right now, though.

This sounds very similar to my situation, I've had a referral from my GP and Mental Health Officer to the gender clinic, but won't be seen there until around September next year! 
I thought the UK was backwards, but having only one clinic sounds rough, what country are you in?

Quote from: Kaylee on December 05, 2013, 10:35:37 AM
I thought the UK was backwards, but having only one clinic sounds rough, what country are you in?

I'm in Norway. Supposedly a great place to live, but it hits me that most people who go on and on about how great it is probably never even set foot in a hospital, nor needed welfare money.

As to the one clinic thing - there are other doctors who have been known to provide HRT, but usually after the clinic has refused the patient (e.g. for having GIDNOS, which means no treatment in the gender clinic). Of course that hasn't been popular - one of them has been charged for medical malpractice three times now. He's still practicing though, since he has been following the SoC, and hence taking away his license would imply following the SoC is malpractice... But basically most specialists are too scared to provide services on their own, since they know there will be repercussions. So in reality, there's only one place to go, at least on the first attempt.