Hi, I'm Viory(Transition name), I feel I'm finally ready to transition 🙂, I have researched and gathered as much information as possible for HRT. I live in Baltimore, MD and I'm 20 (looking to start ASAP before 21). I need help with information on how I can go about getting an informed consent (I think its faster?[I know most of the consequences]), I'm getting depressed day by day.

Welcome to Susan's Place. Informed consent is a little difficult to come by though many places you can get a letter with as little as 3 or 4 therapy appointment. You can check with planed parent hood as they are adding locations but most locations don't provide HRT. I did a search and came up with this thread that might be a starting point for you. Good luck and I hope to see more of you on the forum.

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Viory,

Informed consent has been talked about here for some time. I have some doubts about it though.

In my opinion, you should seek counseling in addition to hormone therapy because you will eventually need both and much more to fully transition. If money is a concern, then at the very least you should find a free support group. I have not heard of any support group providing a HRT letter, but there are people there who may know of someone who can help with he HRT letter. There is so much other stuff that needs to be done that skimping on counselling is just not worth it.

On the positive side of transition, once I got on estradiol and spironolactone, I felt so much better emotionally that I never wanted to stop. It was full transition for me. What I am saying is please do this right and be careful.

Two possible sources of help in Baltimore are

1)  Chase Brexton Health Care   

http://www.chasebrexton.org/our-services/lgbt-health-resource-center

and

2)  Johns Hopkins' very new Center for Transgender Health 

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/center_transgender_health/

I haven't used either, although I have a phone call tomorrow with the Johns Hopkins Center about voice therapy.  They're new, but were very responsive to my inquiry.

If you can come all the way down to Washington, DC, I can highly recommend Whitman Walker Health

https://www.whitman-walker.org/service/become-a-patient/hours-locations/

I've use Whitman Walker for hormone replacement therapy, on an informed consent basis.  They have been fantastic.

Hope this helps - good luck!

Hi, Viory, welcome to Susan's Place! Informed consent will definitely be quicker. My doctor did it in one appointment and I started hormones one week later, simply waiting for the labs to come back. Good luck and I'll see you around the site!

Hugs, Devlyn

There nothing wrong with informed consent at all and there is nothing wrong with the traditional route as well.  Some people are just uncomfortable with the idea of being psychoanalyzed I know I am.  If  you know this is what you want go for it, if you decide differently later  you can always back off if need be and there is nothing wrong with that as well.

Quote from: mako9802 on June 06, 2017, 03:26:32 PM
There nothing wrong with informed consent at all and there is nothing wrong with the traditional route as well.  Some people are just uncomfortable with the idea of being psychoanalyzed I know I am.

I was never psychoanalyzed at all. When I made the decision to transition, I went to a psychologist familiar with transgender issues and I told her what I was feeling all these years. There was never any thought of trying to go into deep suppressed feelings. I knew what I was. I told my psychologist the truth. I had my hormone letter in just a few visits.

For safety reasons, many of the traditional transition requirements are still worthwhile.

However, I also have no use for the Real Life Test. I rarely cross dressed and I really do not like a lot of makeup. I am just as happy wearing shorts and a t-shirt in place of a skirt and top. As for makeup, as long as the SPF factor is above 50, I am happy.