I'm about ready to cry. As of this moment I'm so upset I don't know what to do with myself. I don't know where to go or who to talk to about this. Due to transportation issues, getting hormones has become practically impossible.

Here's the story. I went to my endocrinologist for my hormones for the first time. Strangely enough, rather than prescribe me the hormones while we were there, she told me to come back in two weeks after taking my blood. I think it had something to do with my mom trying to get me to leave early.

Anyway, in exactly two weeks time I find out that we're supposed to leave for Chicago to go to my mom's boyfriend's graduation. She told me that we simply could not reschedule - but my mom ended up leaving without me [long story]. I give the endocrinologist a call, and she tells me that its going to be another 3 months before I can come back now.

According to the HB standards It takes 3 months at least to get hormones supposedly but it looks like I'm going to spend half a year or more JUST ON THE WAITING LIST! And if I miss the next apointment it might be ANOTHER 3 months! 9 MONTHS!!!!!! Has anyone ever had to wait nearly 9 months for hormones? There has to be a better. Before today I never felt that there was a good reason to just get hormones off the internet - but such a thing seems WAAAY easier. I've waited for so long - sat in therapy sessions since August of 2007 and my body is still changing - my shoulders have gotten wider just on the three month wait to get them - I already feel beyond the point of no return. I don't see how I'll ever really pass well now. Why is my life so exceptionally miserable . . . .

Since you are going with your mother, I assume you are not of legal age.

Did you ask the doctor what the reason was for the delay, was it something in your blood results, was it your age, or was it purely scheduling issues?

If you act desperate around them, they will be hesitant to move forward.

Sarah L.

The issue is transportation. There's only one car and even though I'm getting my liscense, it wouldn't have mattered because when my mom went to Chicago I was left alone at home with no car at all, so I wouldn't be able to drive to the endocrinologist, thus missing my appointment.

And I think the delay was because my mom made us leave the Dr's office early because she really didn't want to be there.

I had to wait over 12 months before my first prescription, yeah its frustrating but thats what some doctors do, and sometimes there's unfortunate events which create more delays.  I'm sorry, its not pleasant, but three months more isn't too far away, and thats three months you could focus on other things towards transition (how far are you towards being fulltime by the way?). 

I may have misunderstood what you said, but it is normal to wait for blood tests before getting a prescription, mainly because endo's want to keep you safe.  And if your endo is concerned about your bloods, then perhaps getting hormones of the internet isn't sensible?

If transport is the only issue then could you ask a friend or other relative to drive you if your mum can't?  Or is there any public transport or a taxi? Can't think what else to suggest, but its better to get something sorted than risk a further delay.

Hope it all goes well
Jenny

Thanks for the support you guys. The blood tests were only supposed to take two weeks though. Only, when I was supposed to come back, I couldn't because my only mode of transportation was my mom's car - and she was out of town. I'm not out to anyone else and even if I was, anyone else would be off working and wouldn't be able to help me at the time. The next time she has available would be during the morning, and I don't know if I can even make this appointment so I might have to wait even longer than 3 months. I'm just afraid of this taking too much time before my mom decides to stop me from transition.

Oh I feel so sorry for you!  That's a lot of time and money wasted.  Just a question:  Are you really sure your mom has not called the endo and thrown a wrench in the works?  I hope not, but worth considering perhaps. 

I know it feels like forever for you, but hey, to put it in perspective, look how old some of us are and we are behind where you are.   

Hang in there, Robin, and it will be worth the wait.  Please take the first appointment available, and find another way, besides your mom to get there.

Very best of luck!

Kristi

take a bus then a taxi, and make the appointment.

either that or have your mom drop you off early with a book.  she can pick you up whenever.

Waiting can be good. My first endoc just stabbed me with a needle, wrote a script, and asked for money. No blood work was ever done. My current endoc did a baseline first (I had been off hormones for a few years due to money and other issues) and found some disturbing items in the results. So I spent a few months getting more bloodwork done and other tests. Even after she finally put me on hormones, it was the absolute bare minimum and she still sent me to other specialists to make sure that what had been found was verified again.

So I ended up having to wait months after my first appointment with her. It sucked but in the end I did end up on hormones and things have gone fine since then.

Good luck.

You may look into whatever resources are available in your city for the LGBT community. They will be able to listen to your problem, and perhaps will have a resource that you can follow up on. Does Chicago have a LGBT clinic? If such a clinic exists, it may be able to help you out with all of your needs, including therapy.

Robin,

Be very careful about meds over the internet,  most of them are from overseas and do not meet FDA standards.  They can be less than you may want or need. And they are not cheap.

As for transport, I looked at your post and I am assuming that you are not 18.  If you are not you may need Mom anyway.  If you are do you have friends that drive?  Some one you could trust?  Or try mass transit.

Janet

Quote from: Janet Lynn on July 01, 2008, 09:06:13 PM
Robin,

Be very careful about meds over the internet

Yes, because about 1/4th of the posters here, not to mention the majority of the MtF's in asia, are in mortal peril everytime they consume an inhouse pharmacy product

Quotemost of them are from overseas and do not meet FDA standards.

They are patented compounds baring name brands.  Sealed, with a clearly printed expiration date on each bottle.

QuoteAnd they are not cheap.

Online premarin is 25 cents a pill.  I checked the price at my job, it's 95 cents a pill.
41 cents a pill for a 2mg pill of 17B estradiol.  $1.25 at pharmacies.
15 cents a pill for ethinyl estradiol.  well over $5 a pill at pharmacies.

Yes.  Online is so much more expensive.  -nods head vigorously-

It is when I get my scripts for $20 per for a 90 supply.   22 cents per.


Janet

Most of us kids haven't been in a job long enough to get benefits such as prescription health insurance.

I've got it.

But I choose to order online because it's about as expensive, it's also entirely private.  If I went to a pharmacy for those sorts of drugs my work life would be hell, considering I work in a pharmacy.

You can't get a second endocrinologist opinion? I don't know know much about endos (although I'm sure there can't be many of them), but you can't phone or email some other endo in another city or something and ask for even a general idea of what's happening? Even just maybe going to see a different GP and asking them about it...

Don't know, but hope it all turns out well.

Thanks for the responses you guys. I'm 18 as of right now, and I don't quite have a car yet - nor do I have anyone who can really take me there considering the time of day the next appointment is. The best thing I can think of doing right now is to just beg my mom to take me to the endocrinologist at 10 in the morning rather than go to work.

I called the endocrinologist and asked her to put me on the cancellation list - so if someone cancels I can come in. Also, I'm going to talk to my therapist about the situation and if there's anything she can do to help me. I'm probably going to call another endocrinologist as well. Thanks for the support you guys, your stories made me feel much better.

Sorry to hear what you're going through Robin.  I'm sure your endocrinologist will have a solution for you.  They're usually very helpful.  Hang in there and please be careful about hormones, they aren't a toy to play with.

Re: mail order pharms

The real danger lies in the fact that you do not know for sure if you are receiving the proper medication. A distant relative of mine DIED due to ordering meds from overseas. The news had gone on about how so many seniors were doing this to save money and the like so it seemed like a safe bet I am sure. The trouble is that she was not getting her medication. Hell she was not getting any medication because what they were sending to her amounted to little more than filler with a bit of caffeine.

And yes, I went this route for my hormones for awhile until the above occurred. Then I got my happy butt back to the endoc.

I waited 6 months on a waiting list to see a local person. I accomplished nothing more than virtually spending every cent I had. I switched to a phone style therapist (Dr.Bushong) and had much better luck. So the short form is, it's not the end of the world, just an annoyance. The first of many, sadly.

As for wide shoulders... um, my mother tossed boxes and loaded trucks the majority of her younger life. Short form, don't worry about it really, women come in all shapes and sizes. As proof of this I am getting called cute and sweetie and such like, which I confess blows my mind. It's sweet, but I do not see it.

Anyway, chin up. There are very many variables to this, a few things out of prams really doesn't matter so much. Be you, the world will get a clue.

^*curtsey*

Looking back over this I really feel like I really overreacted - which made me re-evaluate my attachment to transition and how much I hold it in high regard. I shouldn't be so self-centered and impatient.

Only AFTER finally coming to terms with that did I got a call from my endocrinologist's nurse telling me that there had BEEN A MISTAKE and that my endocrinologist could see me tomorrow. Apparently she thought I hadn't seen the doctor yet - when I did. I was just waiting for the follow up that comes after the first transition. But alas, they said they wanted me to come back to "the lab" because what they had found in looking at my blood was that my testosterone levels were really low and they want to know why before they got me started on estrogen.