I'm so excited! I have the first session with who I hope is going to be my Gender Therapist in the morning. I searched for approx. two weeks to find someone that specializes in gender therapy and though it may be close to two hours drive from home IDK! I researched her training and work history and she seems perfect! I contacted her by e-mail and stated my goal of receiving a letter of recommendation for HRT and her response was very heart lifting!

I decided after reading several post discussion in this section to go as me / Dana. I have my outfit picked out witch is conservative but feminine ( Palazzo pants, a white sleeveless blouse, and flat sandals. nothing over the top or distasteful. I washed my hair and painted my toes to match the pants. Its really cute, light and breezy Cause It's Blazing Hot in Ga. Sorry I'm rambling! Just excited!

Back to the point, I'm trying this process using my Tri-Care Prime insurance and will update my experience as I go along as it may help other retired Vets that choose not to live in denial any longer. Wish me luck!   

Good luck, hon!

Hugs, Devlyn

Good Luck Dana,

  Just relax and be honest with her and you'll do fine.

Hugs,
   Laurie

My first session was yesterday and it went great!  My new therapist is very kind and understanding. She specializes in LBGTQI matters. I felt relaxed from the moment I walked in. She is on the Tri-care primary provider list which make my co=pays only $12.00 a session. I feel there is light at the end of this dark tunnel that I've been digging out of my "real me" prison!

Quote from: danats2 on May 19, 2017, 08:54:49 PM
My first session was yesterday and it went great!  My new therapist is very kind and understanding. She specializes in LBGTQI matters. I felt relaxed from the moment I walked in. She is on the Tri-care primary provider list which make my co=pays only $12.00 a session. I feel there is light at the end of this dark tunnel that I've been digging out of my "real me" prison!

I'm so happy for you.

It looks like i will have about as far to drive as you when I find one. It scares me trying to find the right one.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk

Hey Hon, its always exciting to get going on the path to the real you. Good luck on your journey .

Huggs and wave Niki Marie

Congrats on an awesome step in your journey!  Enjoy every second.  For me, there was an exhilaration on the day I sat down with my therapist for the first time.

You can do this!!!!

Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement. I'm now well into weekly counseling and look forward to each session as I know each is another step closer to starting HRT as Both Tri-Care and VA require three months of counseling prior to starting.

That's not to say I haven't started my transition as there are other thing to do such as hair removal, voice training, makeup practice, continuing the coming out process, more weight loss and the list goes on, but I am enjoying each step as I think it helps with my Dysphoria,

Tomorrow I inform my VA primary care Physician and Mental health of my dysphoria and wish to start HRT thru the Va. If I don't get a good feeling from them then I will go thru Tri-Care for HRT. What ever happens I will continue seeing my therapist and continue down my path to Me! 

Quote from: danats2 on June 08, 2017, 11:58:38 PM
Thank you everyone for your words of encouragement. I'm now well into weekly counseling and look forward to each session as I know each is another step closer to starting HRT as Both Tri-Care and VA require three months of counseling prior to starting.

That's not to say I haven't started my transition as there are other thing to do such as hair removal, voice training, makeup practice, continuing the coming out process, more weight loss and the list goes on, but I am enjoying each step as I think it helps with my Dysphoria,

Tomorrow I inform my VA primary care Physician and Mental health of my dysphoria and wish to start HRT thru the Va. If I don't get a good feeling from them then I will go thru Tri-Care for HRT. What ever happens I will continue seeing my therapist and continue down my path to Me!

Hi Dana,

  You shouldn't have any problems starting HRT with the VA, That is if your VA is like mine here in Portland, Or. I found your statement that the VA and Tri-Care required 3 months counseling interesting. I understood it that a primary care physician could prescribe HRT medications provided they were qualified to assess the need. I do not recall reading in their guidelines anything about having to wait a period of time. I'll have to see if I can find them again and look.
  Your experience is different in mine in that I was a bad girl having obtained and started taking hrt on my own 5 weeks before telling my PCP that I thought I was trans. He asked some questions I guess to satisfy himself that I was and then asked if I wanted to get my HRT from the VA. He also asked if I wanted to talk to someone regarding my being trans and I replied yes to both. My doctor ordered the HRT and arrange for gender counseling. I now am doing both through the VA and have been for several months.

  I hope you get the service you want without any hoops to jump through.

Hugs,
   Laurie

My first experience with the VA on my transition was awful! I scheduled the appointment approx 1 1/2 months ago and told the phone receptionist why I wanted to see both my Primary care Physician and Mental health IAW VA procedures listed on their web site only to find they had no idea why I was there.

Mental health was first and all he said was he no experience with Transgender and had no idea to whom to refer me for help.

In between appointments I found a small bulletin board in an inconspicuous corner in the lobby with three VA poster about the VAs LGBT policy and a phone # to the LBGT coordinator in Dublin, Ga. who is responsible for training VA personnel on LBGT policy and procedures.

Next was the doctor who also had no experience with TGs and also stated at least three time she could no help me because of her Religious beliefs . She also had no Idea to whom I should be referred. I showed her the info on the LBGT coordinator and she wrote down her contact list! Damn!      

When leaving I told the doctor I will be needing a new doctor because of her religious beliefs. She seemed shocked that I would say that. I told her if she had issues helping me with my transition, why in world would she or I want her to be my Doctor after I start HRT and present as women!

I am very upset with the VA! Maybe the LBGT coordinator help? We'll see!

Quote from: danats2 on May 19, 2017, 08:54:49 PM
My first session was yesterday and it went great!  My new therapist is very kind and understanding. She specializes in LBGTQI matters. I felt relaxed from the moment I walked in. She is on the Tri-care primary provider list which make my co=pays only $12.00 a session. I feel there is light at the end of this dark tunnel that I've been digging out of my "real me" prison!

Can you post her contact info.  I have TRICARE also, am in GA, and there is nobody around here that will even return my calls when I tell them what I want.  I had seen a counselor in Atlanta before and he was great.  But he doesn't accept TRICARE and is expensive.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

Quote from: Deborah on June 10, 2017, 08:40:00 AM
Can you post her contact info.  I have TRICARE also, am in GA, and there is nobody around here that will even return my calls when I tell them what I want.  I had seen a counselor in Atlanta before and he was great.  But he doesn't accept TRICARE and is expensive.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

Jessica Wheeler LMFT
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Quote from: danats2 on June 10, 2017, 07:52:31 AM
My first experience with the VA on my transition was awful!

I am very upset with the VA! Maybe the LBGT coordinator help? We'll see!

  Dana,

  I agree that was horrible and so much different than my own experience with thw VA. I would certainly call the coordinator and the patient advocate and lodge complaints. The only way these issues in service will get resolved is by letting them know there are problems.

Sorry you had to go through this at the VA. Here in Portland we are a lot more trans friendly ahving an established LGBTQ+ program with a local coordinator.

Hugs,
   Laurie

Quote from: Laurie on June 10, 2017, 09:53:40 AM
  Dana,

  I agree that was horrible and so much different than my own experience with thw VA. I would certainly call the coordinator and the patient advocate and lodge complaints. The only way these issues in service will get resolved is by letting them know there are problems.

Sorry you had to go through this at the VA. Here in Portland we are a lot more trans friendly ahving an established LGBTQ+ program with a local coordinator.

Hugs,
   Laurie

What's really surprising is Atlanta has a very large Trans community yet of the three VA hospitals in Ga. not one has an LBGT program like some of the other in the country. IDK maybe it's because none of the LBGT people in Atlanta are not vets or Ga. is just a backwood, redneck, Bible Thumping non progressive state!  Sorry just on a rant!

I'm having some really strong emotional problems right now due to my increased Dysphoria. I am so sick of my male parts I considered cutting them off myself! The only reasons I haven't is because I'll need them to make my lady parts latter! I stay tucked all the time and am not real gentile with them when doing it!

I see my real therapist on Monday, maybe she help me calm down!   

If you need a HRT endo I can give you a good one in Atlanta.  They don't take TRICARE but all you would have to pay for is the appt ($110 I think).  if you have access to a military hospital you can get the blood tests and prescriptions filled there at no cost.

I have been doing that at the Army Hospital without any problems at all.


Conform and be dull. —James Frank Dobie, The Voice of the Coyote

Called the regional VA LGBT Coordinator yester day to report and ask for help regarding my disastrous visit with my PCP and Mental health at my home clinic. She was very nice and said she would set me up with immediate appointments with both a VA Mental health that specializes in LGBT for evaluation and Endo for HRT.

She also said she would report the incident to the regional Director for corrective action and to stress the need for more training of regional VA personnel as how to treat and assist LGBT Veterans and the need to expedite evaluation and treatment of Veterans with Dysphoria!

I also asked if she could help me find a new PCP.   We'll see what happens

Hope it all works out for you.  I'm excited and nervous at the same time.  I contacted a therapist today and now have an appointment with her next week.  She sounds very nice over the phone.  Hopefully she will be in person as well.

Fingers crossed for all of us.

The coordinator is really nice and is helping me set up all the appointments with VA counselors and then with endo and also helping me find a new PCP because I fired the last on and reported her! Everything is moving but just a little slow , but that government for you. Thanks goodness for my real counselor, shes great!