Ok here is what is now happening. My therapist is on board again with trying to get me HRT ,we worked some issues out and she told me she is not trying to procrastinate. So she says that the endocrinologist that I have seen 3 times wants a letter from her and a Doctor (Psychologist). But now guess what my previous Doctor (Psych) said to me in an email as to what she is sending to the therapist?

QuoteAlso, I will be writing a letter for you therapist about my clinical impressions of your suitability for HRT. Here is basically what I will say: Unfortunately, I do not feel as though I am in a position right now to advise HRT at this time. First, it has been too long since I have worked with you in treatment so I do not have the most accurate clinical picture of you and your condition at this point in time. Second, from my limited interactions with you over the last year and a half you have fluctuated in what you have wanted. Third, I would wonder what would happen if you were to take testosterone (or if that has even been considered or tried) and how that would affect you, your sense of gender, and your androgen deficiency. Because of these points, I am not sure that female hormones would be in your best interest at this point.

If on the other hand, you and your endocrinologist have attempted a clinically appropriate and sustained male hormone treatment regimen that did not turn out to be sufficiently beneficial for you and your mood has remained stable for at least six months with proper psychotropic medication (for mood stabilization and depression) then at that point I would agree that female hormones could be effectively brought on board with the appropriate medical and clinical precautions and support in place.

So now I am really worried that all this effort and time spent with my therapist may not mean much of anything if the endocrinologist still needs another doctors letter. I thought that an LCSW by themselves could write a letter of recommendation for HRT.  What my previous doctor fails to see is that I have been struggling internally on a spiritual and emotional level about my gender. But THE LAST thing I want to do is take TESTOSTERONE! Why in the world would this be recommended for me to try.

You notice that in the email it suggests that taking testosterone will change my internal gender,that I will feel more male and correct. No that would make me feel sick and loose whatever feminine traits I already have.

So not sure what to do now.  

I'm not any kind of medical professional, but I'm guessing because you post that your inter sexed  that might be the reason for experimenting .I really don't know its just a guess.

From an IS friend, I hear that the default treatment is testosterone... In her case, it was a nightmare when she took T. But that may be why your previous doctor is suggesting this ( and being ignorant of gender identity ).

I don't have any suggestions or advice to give. I'm sorry to read this, and hope it works out for you.

xx

The thing is I may or may not have Mild or Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome, I have had 2 different opinions from 2 different Endo's. The thinking from this one is,if I take Anti Androgens and have partial AIS they wont react as well. However if I have mild AIS,it won't be affected.

I am Transgender no matter what though. I have been spending 4 years now on dealing with this and accepting it

Any informed consent options?

I would find a different doctor or whatever.  But if you are 100% certain that you're a transwoman, no matter what you do, don't take the T.

T exaggerates the dysphoria drive. This is crazy talk.

Previous Doctor strikes me as a quack.

Quote from: Shawn Sunshine on January 19, 2014, 03:16:42 PM
Ok here is what is now happening. My therapist is on board again with trying to get me HRT ,we worked some issues out and she told me she is not trying to procrastinate. So she says that the endocrinologist that I have seen 3 times wants a letter from her and a Doctor (Psychologist). But now guess what my previous Doctor (Psych) said to me in an email as to what she is sending to the therapist?



So now I am really worried that all this effort and time spent with my therapist may not mean much of anything if the endocrinologist still needs another doctors letter. I thought that an LCSW by themselves could write a letter of recommendation for HRT.  What my previous doctor fails to see is that I have been struggling internally on a spiritual and emotional level about my gender. But THE LAST thing I want to do is take TESTOSTERONE! Why in the world would this be recommended for me to try.

You notice that in the email it suggests that taking testosterone will change my internal gender,that I will feel more male and correct. No that would make me feel sick and loose whatever feminine traits I already have.

So not sure what to do now.  

Do you have a therapist you discuss your gender identity with? How do they feel about your doctor's letter?

Before putting me on estrodial and spiro, they put me on a mood stabalizer and a T booster just to rule out any other issues that could make me feel transgender. And even tho it sucks, they can do it, its mostly to cover their butts.         I have nick named it  "the incase you regret transitioning defense"     they also made me take iodine suppliments to boost by thyroid before they would put me on HRT also just to make sure it wasnt.  it was a educational learning experience, cause I guess there is tons of things that can go wrong in the body and make you feel that way, and some doctors just want to rule them out first.    Dunno what to tell you besides just ride it out till you can get your estrogen

Quote from: Thylacin on January 19, 2014, 04:42:33 PM

Do you have a therapist you discuss your gender identity with? How do they feel about your doctor's letter?

yes the therapist I have seen consistently since September 2013, and before in April same year. Not sure whats going to happen now. Will know more later. At any rate I would not want T at all, I refuse to take that.

I'm really sorry to hear this.  I remember my mom wanted me to take testosterone in order to "cure" my dysphoria.  Some people don't get it and think there is a way to correct dysphoria. 

Why won't your endo accept a letter from your current therapist?  I was under the impression that social workers were also able to write an hrt letter, though I guess it's up to the endo's discretion whether she accepts the letter or not.  Is there another endo that you could see?

Quote from: Teela Renee on January 19, 2014, 04:49:42 PM
Before putting me on estrodial and spiro, they put me on a mood stabalizer and a T booster just to rule out any other issues that could make me feel transgender. And even tho it sucks, they can do it, its mostly to cover their butts.     

"they can do it" ?  I disagree with this 100%.  No doctor can force a patient to do anything.  This is a simple matter of the patient knowing what's going on better than anyone else.  If you're absolutely certain you're a M2F TS, why in God's name would you take T?

Quote from: JordanBlue on January 19, 2014, 06:55:15 PM
"they can do it" ?  I disagree with this 100%.  No doctor can force a patient to do anything.  This is a simple matter of the patient knowing what's going on better than anyone else.  If you're absolutely certain you're a M2F TS, why in God's name would you take T?

sounds like aversion therapy 

Quote from: JordanBlue on January 19, 2014, 06:55:15 PM
"they can do it" ?  I disagree with this 100%.  No doctor can force a patient to do anything.  This is a simple matter of the patient knowing what's going on better than anyone else.  If you're absolutely certain you're a M2F TS, why in God's name would you take T?

you obviously have not lived in the sticks, when I started HRT. The only hormone doctor I had was 4 hours from my home, if I wanted to see a diffrent one, It was 8 hours.  and if thats what the doctor wanted, you delt with it cause you didnt have any other choive besides his way or the highway, and i chose to ride it out instead of traveling 8+ hours one way

Quote from: Teela Renee on January 19, 2014, 07:08:38 PM
you obviously have not lived in the sticks, when I started HRT. The only hormone doctor I had was 4 hours from my home, if I wanted to see a different one, It was 8 hours.  and if that's what the doctor wanted, you dealt with it cause you didn't have any other choice besides his way or the highway, and i chose to ride it out instead of traveling 8+ hours one way

I live in the Ozark Mountains.  It doesn't get much more 'sticks' and Hillbilly than that.  I would still absolutely never voluntarily take T.  But whatever works for you.

Is it possible for you to get a psych evaluation online? I don't know myself as i've not had to investigate this avenue but surely there's a competent psych who would be willing to have sessions through a web chat due to you living in the sticks? I'm sure I read someone on here a couple of years ago saying that they had online psych evaluations.
It sound like you're being penalised for living in an isolated location with very little choice of psych's.

Here in the UK we're entitled to request a second opinion if we disagree with any diagnosis but due to the comparatively small size of the UK travelling is rarely a barrier.

I'm hypogonadic.  Initially my T was 150 on a 300-100 scale and my E2 was 80 on a 0-50 scale.

In other words, smack dab in between male and female levels for both testosterone and estrogen.

I think I also have mild androgen insensitivity too, but have not been properly diagnosed.

I took a course of testosterone cypionate injections for several years.  Six months in I was growing a very nice set of breasts.  It turns out that the enzyme aromatase converts testosterone to estradiol.   The testosterone did nothing to  make me more masculine, it just gave me my first taste of estrogen.

They say we all need either estrogen or testosterone to be healthy.  In my body either yields the same result.

Randi

Quote from: Shawn Sunshine on January 19, 2014, 05:00:33 PM
yes the therapist I have seen consistently since September 2013, and before in April same year. Not sure whats going to happen now. Will know more later. At any rate I would not want T at all, I refuse to take that.

Well, ultimately it is up to you.

The effects of estrogen on the psyche are relatively fast-acting. If it's not right, then you'll know really, really soon. That said, if you're on T, you'll know faster.

The doc strikes me as a bit odd. What country are you in where you'd get weird-o propositions like this.