Hey! So I'm going to be setting up an appointment sometime this coming month to talk to a doctor about starting HRT. Can anybody give me the basics of the first visit?
Like, what kind of tests do they require (I know they take blood; but is that all you give for the tests or are there other kinds of tests?) and can you take them there? My gender therapist provided me with a letter of recommendation and a list of trans friendly doctors, as well as specialists, in the area. I'm assuming that the family type doctors will require the tests to be taken elsewhere, but what about the specialists? I've never been to a specialist of any kind before so I'm not sure what they do really.

Also, about how longer after that first appointment does one typically get to start taking T? I know that blood work can take a day or two, but is it more common to have to take further tests or to just start hormones?

Anything helps. Thanks guys.

Sometimes they ask you to cut down the mightiest tree in the forest. With.......a herring!

<running away>

It depends on your doctor if you have to go somewhere else for the blood to be drawn. I had to go to a lab across the street where you walk in, hand them a sheet of paper, they take the blood, and then they test it for whatever your doctor wants them to. Then, they send the results to the doctor so they can communicate them to you. You get sent the bill in the mail.

The number of visits it takes to actually get the T script depends on your doctor. They will likely wait to get the blood test results back , so probably at least two visits - though I have heard people get the script on first visit. Your second appointment will hinge on how long it takes to get the bloodwork back and how long it takes to get an appointment at that office generally. Even if they take the blood at the office directly, it is still usually sent to a lab for analysis, no matter who the doctor is - specialist or primary care.

in addition to blood work, I have heard of people having to get a pap smear before they get a T script, but they did not ask me about it when I started.

if you go to a specialist like an endocrinologist instead of a family doctor, it will be the same as visiting the family doctor in essence in terms of getting on T. They will ask the same questions, do the same tests - the only difference is they have specialized knowledge and experience that can help know more about how to approach problems.  However, It does not really matter which type you see - instead you want to work with someone who has experience treating trans patients, bottom line, no matter if they are a family doctor or a specialist. If you got referrals from your therapist, you should be good to go on that front.

You should only have to get a blood test. Whether or not you have to go somewhere else to get the blood test really only depends on the location. My endo is in the same building as the lab, but others may not be.

When I started testosterone, I had an appointment just to talk to the doctor about the effects and whatnot and I signed a sheet saying I understood everything, but they didn't take any bloodwork. I had another appointment 3 months later, and that's when I got the bloodwork. They started me on T on the same day, so before they got the results, but my endo said that if there were any issues for whatever reason they could just take me off it. However, I think it depends on your doctor and really your best bet is to just find out for yourself.

This has a lot to do with where you live and who your doctor is and your payment coverage. I had a very easy time starting T because I had been out as male and talking about gender issues with my clinic for a year or two before asking for hormones. I had to bring a letter from a therapist, but that was mainly a formality and I was not presented with any other barriers or tests. I told my doctor's office I wanted T and brought a letter to my next appointment and got my first shot that day. She also ordered a liver panel that day but did not require me to have results to start hrt.

i was recommended to my endo once i had my letter stating i could start HRT. my first appointment i went in and signed a paper saying i understood the risks and w/e and he wrote me my script for T the same visit but wanted me to get blood work done before i started. i did blood work, waited a week after he said i could start so he could get the results and since he didn't say there was any issues, i started T a few months later. it took me awhile because i had troubles finding a doctor who wanted to give me my shots or i would have started the week after my appointment.

i've heard of people starting T that same day they visited the doctor but i wouldn't get your hopes up for that. usually it's a blood test, results, then start if no issues arise. it really depends on the doctor though as others have said. if you're going to a specialist, your appointments will be further apart and might take a few months to start depending on the doctor.

Quote from: Preambler on January 31, 2015, 06:09:23 PM
Hey! So I'm going to be setting up an appointment sometime this coming month to talk to a doctor about starting HRT. Can anybody give me the basics of the first visit?
Like, what kind of tests do they require (I know they take blood; but is that all you give for the tests or are there other kinds of tests?) and can you take them there? My gender therapist provided me with a letter of recommendation and a list of trans friendly doctors, as well as specialists, in the area. I'm assuming that the family type doctors will require the tests to be taken elsewhere, but what about the specialists? I've never been to a specialist of any kind before so I'm not sure what they do really.

Also, about how longer after that first appointment does one typically get to start taking T? I know that blood work can take a day or two, but is it more common to have to take further tests or to just start hormones?

Anything helps. Thanks guys.

I went to a local LGBTQ clinic. I filled out new patient paperwork and made photocopies of my ID and insurance card, and went to make an appointment. It took 3 weeks to get in to speak with a doctor about starting HRT. They: took my vitals, went over an informed consent form, answered my questions, and sent me down the hall to get my blood drawn. I made a follow up appointment for 3 weeks after that. I came back in, we discussed my results, she told me what she was putting me on, and gave me my prescription. I'm on gel so there was no learning to inject. The pharmacy is on site, so I walked down and dropped that off, then went back to set my 3 month lab work and follow up appointments.

As far as timelines, my clinic is pretty much the go-to one in the area for hormones, and there are just a handful of doctors that do trans-specific care, so it may have taken me a little longer to get in and get started. I like it because it's a one stop shop. Some may do their own blood draws and send to offsite labs, others might send you out with a referral to a local LabCorp site. It all really depends.

In part, what is done will depend on your Dr. I don't recall having any tests beyond bloodwork before starting.
I did need to go in for the first injection since I wanted to inject it myself. It didn't take long, just a nurse watching me give it to make sure I was doing it right.

When you first start, the injection site can get pretty sore. You can also request using androderm patches. After a decade, I began to have allergic reactions to the injections and switched to the patch. It seems to be just as effective as an injection.

Sam1234