A few months ago, I started seeing red spots on my skin after I had removed my estradiol patches.  Over the next few weeks, the red area got worse and it became quite painful each time I removed a patch.  I went to my endo and got a lecture about how patches were the best option for me and she wouldn't change my prescription to another form of delivery.  So, I went out and found a new endo, who gave me a prescription for Estrogen gel.  Problem solved.  (By the time I got to the new endo, when I removed a patch, the skin the patch was attached to would literally come off with the patch. Quite painful.)

Fast forward a few months.  I go to court and change my name.  In my state, I can get the court to issue an order to change my birth certificate to female at the same time I get my name change order providing I was born in this state.  As I wasn't born in this state, the alternate procedure went into effect that required a letter from a medical doctor for a gender change on my driver's license.  I couldn't get the letter.  My new endo decided I was lazy because the court could order the change.  She didn't even check the law or where I was born. She just refused.  My primary doctor would not write a letter.  My urologist who did my orchi would not write a letter.  So, I went back to my old endo, who, after a couple of letters that the state would not accept actually got me one that the state accepted. 

As I had previously had an orchi, she was changing my dose of E.  She called in a prescription for new E patches that I could not use.  However, my other endo refused to write me a new prescription for cream because I went back to my old endo.  In the end, I have a prescription for E, on a patch that is literally five inched around.  My old patched were just over an inch square. I can't use the onld ones and these new ones are stupid huge.  I am now running out of E.

So, is this some weird gate keeping or just doctors being stupid?

Hugs   

Jen   

I think doctors just being stupid.

Happens so to often.

It's the same as SS, DL and Passport. If you do not bring the new information along they are totally lost.

Be patient and maybe the new glue used in the new patches will not react??

I got my letter for gender marker change from my therapist. I'd bet my endo would have been reluctant to write a letter.

I don't think the doctors are being stupid. Doesn't sound like gatekeeping either. Sounds more like they have a way of handling things and will not deviate. Maybe not the best bedside manner as well.

Good luck. I'm hoping here that a solution comes along soon.

This is a reason why it P***es me off that administrative document changes require a doctor's letter. Doctors hate writing letters, especially since a lot of agencies demand things like medical license numbers, years of practice, etc.

Could you consider going back and explain why you absolutely need this letter?

I think a lot of doctors are just unhelpful period. It isn't that surprising that you'd have to go to so many for this when even simpler things sometimes require multiple doctors.

Quote from: Misato on October 19, 2014, 11:58:06 PM
I got my letter for gender marker change from my therapist. I'd bet my endo would have been reluctant to write a letter.

I don't think the doctors are being stupid. Doesn't sound like gatekeeping either. Sounds more like they have a way of handling things and will not deviate. Maybe not the best bedside manner as well.

Good luck. I'm hoping here that a solution comes along soon.

Hey,

We live in the same state. ..  The driver's license folks made me get one from an MD.  Wtf??

Jen

Talk about unhelpful. It's not as if you're asking that much from them considering how much $$$ you must be forking over every visit.

Sometimes when doctors hear from an attorney, they change their minds pretty quickly.  It's much easier to write a note than lawyering up.

What I don't get from all of this is that these letters have standard requirements.  What the court wants to see, SS, DL etc.  This is the computer age.  It isn't hard to have a template and just tweak it to insert essential facts.  Its not like it has to be the next great novel!!!   It isn't that Doctors don't like to write letters, they write letters, reports, referrals all the time but they are to a set format and our letters should be the same.  To me, this is all laziness.  It is part of their job for which the patient pays.  God they need to get over themselves.

My GP manages my HRT and can have a letter for name change, DL, Medicare (I am in Australia) or any other specialist referral (been a few of those lately) printed and in my needy little hands in about 30 seconds - all paid by Medicare.  He actually has a computer and knows how to  use it!!!  All I gotta do is ask!

My verdict - petty control issues ....and stupidity!

That's true. I gave my doctor a letter that I copied from online. Just fill in the blanks. They don't need any big juicy info. SS and passport is the same letter.
Yep, I agree petty control issues. Because it's no big deal.

--Jay

Quote from: EmmaD on October 21, 2014, 03:52:18 AM
What I don't get from all of this is that these letters have standard requirements.  What the court wants to see, SS, DL etc.  This is the computer age.  It isn't hard to have a template and just tweak it to insert essential facts.  Its not like it has to be the next great novel!!!   It isn't that Doctors don't like to write letters, they write letters, reports, referrals all the time but they are to a set format and our letters should be the same.  To me, this is all laziness.  It is part of their job for which the patient pays.  God they need to get over themselves.

My GP manages my HRT and can have a letter for name change, DL, Medicare (I am in Australia) or any other specialist referral (been a few of those lately) printed and in my needy little hands in about 30 seconds - all paid by Medicare.  He actually has a computer and knows how to  use it!!!  All I gotta do is ask!

My verdict - petty control issues ....and stupidity!