Hiya!

I've finally gotten around to booking an appointment with my GP this coming Friday morning, hopefully to at least make them aware that I want a GIC referral, so could anybody tell me what to expect, or give me any advice on how to prepare for it please? Any help is greatly appreciated! ^_^

[Side Note: This is with NHS Wales, and thus will be Charring X referral, as I tried and failed to register with an English GP :-/ )

When I meet a doctor for the first time and I deem it necessary for them to know, I am totally up front about it. I say "I am transgendered. Can we work together? Do you have any concerns about me being your patient?"

I used to get some negative responses. I'd then go see someone else. But now, that seems to be an issue of the past. While I don't tell every physician about myself, I do tell my GP and Endo. I feel like they deserve to know. I don't think you will have any issues.

Best of luck to you.

Cindi

Print out the NHS guidelines and bring them - i learned from my first appointment that it's not presumptuous to assume your GP hasn't read them! I also brought with me a note of which GIC i was thinking of and their contact details, and a little (very simplified) summary of my 'narrative' + plans just for reference. i wanted it recorded that I'd already been presenting as male to the best of my abilities a few months prior to the appointment in case that helped speed anything up...

I said i wanted to be referred to a GIC. my GP asked me to clarify that i felt that i was transgendered. she asked me how long i'd felt this way, what kind of treatments i was thinking of (it's ok to say you're not sure yet) and if i'd told anyone else yet. she also asked if i felt i would be suicidal if i couldn't transition. I don't know if these are standard questions, or if she asked out of interest, and she didn't express an opinion about any of my answers. she did refer me to the mental health team but that is an option for GPs in the guidelines so i guess i just have to go have the same talk with someone else.

Thank you! You've been a lot of help! <3