Hey all,

So I'm wondering about the best way to call and inquire about HRT with potential doctors. My therapist is willing to fill out any referral paperwork but the area I live in is pretty sparse for HRT specialists. I've found a few leads which Ive sent to my therapist and she suggested I might be able to contact them faster than she can. Also, a few are Integrative medicine doctors. Not sure if those mightbe more receptive to providing trans HRT care. They seem to be more open to various therapies. I do have a endo appt for HRT but its an insanely long wait at 7 months so Im looking to shorten that.

Any tips and advice is appreciated.

~Kamyu

Wow how come it's so long??

The endo I have an appt with lost one of their associates so they are overbooked atm. Thus the insane long schedule.

~Kamyu

Quote from: Kamyu on June 30, 2014, 09:23:31 AM
The endo I have an appt with lost one of their associates so they are overbooked atm. Thus the insane long schedule.

Sorry sweetie, but this sounds like an excuse to me. I don't know where you live though and maybe there are not a lot of providers. It is your job to call for HRT appointments, not your Therapist's. I just got the phone book and started calling the Endo's listed in it. Surely you will find one with a better appointment schedule than 7 months. Good luck.

If your list of endos is short, try gynos.

Little update.

So far no luck. Most common answer "We're willing to monitor and continue but won't start HRT for transgender individuals"

There is literally only 1 endo listed in the phonebook. Tried local OBGYN's as well. Going to start branching out into neighboring cities. Still waiting to hear back from one other local doctor.

Feels like i'm beating my head against a brick wall. v_v Lack of success is depressing.

I did however call the endo I do have an appt with and it is in fact a 7 month wait. However I did discuss the cancellation list with them and they did say I can call back periodically to check for cancellations as well. The search continues.

~Kamyu

Quote from: Kamyu on June 30, 2014, 03:15:19 PM
Little update.

So far no luck. Most common answer "We're willing to monitor and continue but won't start HRT for transgender individuals"

There is literally only 1 endo listed in the phonebook. Tried local OBGYN's as well. Going to start branching out into neighboring cities. Still waiting to hear back from one other local doctor.

Feels like i'm beating my head against a brick wall. v_v Lack of success is depressing.

I did however call the endo I do have an appt with and it is in fact a 7 month wait. However I did discuss the cancellation list with them and they did say I can call back periodically to check for cancellations as well. The search continues.

~Kamyu

I ended up having to make my apps with a Dr. that is a 2 hour drive from me.  Been there five times now, just what I had to do.  Dani

Sadly, it seems long wait times are pretty common with specialists.  It depends on where you are, but I didn't go to my original endo of choice because they usually had a few months wait at minimum.  It really depends on the practice and what their time slots for new patients are.  Many practices will opt to see new patients on only specific days and time which makes things more of a wait and a bitch for those of us who have to schedule these things.  7 months is a long wait, but by no means all that crazy from what I have seen.  My suggestion is to make the soonest appointment you can with someone that accepts transgender patients.  That way you have something on the books.  Then look around and shop for other doctors.  If you can't find someone close, maybe you could travel a bit?  If not, maybe you could find someone that would opperate on the informed consent model?  Good luck with it all.  It should be easier than it is for a lot of us and that's why the medical community really needs to become more aware of us and our health needs.

Quote from: Kamyu on June 30, 2014, 07:11:10 AM
Hey all,

So I'm wondering about the best way to call and inquire about HRT with potential doctors. My therapist is willing to fill out any referral paperwork but the area I live in is pretty sparse for HRT specialists. I've found a few leads which Ive sent to my therapist and she suggested I might be able to contact them faster than she can. Also, a few are Integrative medicine doctors. Not sure if those mightbe more receptive to providing trans HRT care. They seem to be more open to various therapies. I do have a endo appt for HRT but its an insanely long wait at 7 months so Im looking to shorten that.

Any tips and advice is appreciated.

~Kamyu

Are you in the US?

If so, just go to a GP and explain your situation and ask for HRT. That's what I did. No need for a specialist to do it. You can go to an endo for specialist advice, but don't need to go to one to be monitored and prescribed meds.

@Hideyoshi

Yes, I am in the US, Northern Michigan to be precise. I have talked with my GP about HRT. They told me that they would be able to maintain, but HRT is way out of their expertise that they would rather I see someone experienced with HRT to get started. My last visit with my GP they did joke about going to Mexico to get hormones. I told them I don't believe in self medication which they agreed with. But with my latest ventures in looking to start HRT, I can understand why some go that route.

I might have to do the long drive for my HRT as much as I've been trying to avoid it. The nearest gender clinic is about 4 hours away in Ann Arbor, but they have to be applied to. The nearest informed consent I know of is 6 hours in Chicago. >.< Been trying to find something within a 2 hour drive but haven't had much luck. The endo I have an appt with is 1.25 hours.

I'm still waiting to hear back from one place yet local. I've heard there's a new doctor there and there's some possibility with them. Hopefully they will be better than the receptionist who thought I was asking about Home Ownership when I was asking about Hormone Replacement Therapy. They seemed slow on the uptake.

*Crossing Fingers for this one local doctor*

~Kamyu

Having lived in Michigan for two months and been in a car-trip up north, I really feel for you. Hopefully, the new local doctor can be of some assistance. *crosses fingers and toes for you!*

Quote from: Kamyu on June 30, 2014, 11:47:06 PM
@Hideyoshi

Yes, I am in the US, Northern Michigan to be precise. I have talked with my GP about HRT. They told me that they would be able to maintain, but HRT is way out of their expertise that they would rather I see someone experienced with HRT to get started. My last visit with my GP they did joke about going to Mexico to get hormones. I told them I don't believe in self medication which they agreed with. But with my latest ventures in looking to start HRT, I can understand why some go that route.

I might have to do the long drive for my HRT as much as I've been trying to avoid it. The nearest gender clinic is about 4 hours away in Ann Arbor, but they have to be applied to. The nearest informed consent I know of is 6 hours in Chicago. >.< Been trying to find something within a 2 hour drive but haven't had much luck. The endo I have an appt with is 1.25 hours.

I'm still waiting to hear back from one place yet local. I've heard there's a new doctor there and there's some possibility with them. Hopefully they will be better than the receptionist who thought I was asking about Home Ownership when I was asking about Hormone Replacement Therapy. They seemed slow on the uptake.

*Crossing Fingers for this one local doctor*

~Kamyu

Hmm.  Call your local LGBT center and ask around for an LGBT friendly primary care doctor's office. If you find a more open-minded doctor who already has trans patients, you might have a better chance.