Does going on them delay your treatment of is that a myth?

My girlfriend is very very ill with depression because of treatment taking so long and I am VERY worride about her.
Can she go get treatment for depression? and if she does will she be criticized for it and made to wait longer for treatment. This is what I have heard and it is making matters so much worse.

She is scared to get anti depressants encase they back log her treatment anymore. She is already on hormones and has been for over a year now.  We are doing this via the NHS so getting treatment in general is like getting blood from a stone. I can imagine private health care maybe OK with it. But the NHS seem to like any reason to not have to fork out for the treatment.

Please any input would be really really helpful! 

I cannot speak for the NHS, but depression is very common in the TG community and anti-depressants appear to be an excellent way of treating it, in many cases. I'm on anti-depressants and have been for a number of years. It has in no way prevented any treatments to me. I think in fact I was judged as being sensible and pro-active in my medical treatment by going on them. I have no proof of this but I would suggest that going to a therapist for TG counselling in a severally depressed state would be a negative for HRT etc. The argument being you are TG because you are depressed, rather than the reverse.
Depression is also a crippling disease that can quite quickly lead to terrible outcomes, including suicide. Please watch over your girl carefully. She is also fortunate to have such a caring partner.

Hugs to you both

Cindy 

* Does going on them [anti-depressants] delay your treatment or is that a myth? *

* She is already on hormones and has been for over a year now.  *

I'm not sure what you actually mean by "treatment" - SRS or... what?

It is for most surgeons a requirement to be for at least 1 year on HRT, so if we talking about SRS she is not really 'behind SoC schedule' - no reason to get depressed. All I should say.

Also anti-depressants have an effect on E-receptors, not the best idea if not REALLY required.

Is she depressed because she feels it all takes too long - or is she depressed about her general state of 'being'?

If the later it needs more investigation into the "WHY", if the former she must revise some unrealistic expectations...

Just my 2 cents dear,
Axélle

I really am reluctant to interfere here, since there are a number of issues for which others are much better qualified in Susans'.

But I will say this, only because I mean it emphatically.

She must take and complete her treatment for depression before she does anything. I can't emphasise this enough. Depression is a nasty illness which can create all sorts of outcomes. Treatment isn't particularly difficult. If the Dr and others say it's OK then she can proceed with other treatments at the same time. I just don't know.

Be treating the depression should be the priority.

No one has ever blinked an eye at me being on anti-depressants (or, when I was, I'm off them now). I could have gotten hormones and whatnot if I was at the right place in my life. But depression is absolutely important to focus on, I agree with spacial.

Quote from: Axélle-Michélle on January 27, 2012, 08:41:41 AM
* Does going on them [anti-depressants] delay your treatment or is that a myth? *

* She is already on hormones and has been for over a year now.  *

I'm not sure what you actually mean by "treatment" - SRS or... what?

It is for most surgeons a requirement to be for at least 1 year on HRT, so if we talking about SRS she is not really 'behind SoC schedule' - no reason to get depressed. All I should say.

Also anti-depressants have an effect on E-receptors, not the best idea if not REALLY required.

Is she depressed because she feels it all takes too long - or is she depressed about her general state of 'being'?

If the later it needs more investigation into the "WHY", if the former she must revise some unrealistic expectations...

Just my 2 cents dear,
Axélle

She's depressed due to having been in the wrong body so many years and still being so. And all the things that come with that, being told to use the mens changing room, not being able to use public toilets, being bullied by guys at school when she wasn't even a guy. Not to mention a server rejection from my family and not being allowed to come over. But I don't feel like all this needs to be said I think it's obvious why anyone in the wrong body would be depressed.

I'm on anti depressants just because of how crap the world is, I've learnt its a horrible rough un-fair and unforgiving place.   

She is kind of behind actually since she has been going for treatment since she was only 19 and they have only now put her on hormones at 22 simply because appointments have taken so long and the doctors not sending through the blood tests like they should. Which is an on going problem.

I mean further treatment, hormone blockers, injection, surgery.

We don't use all the short terms for it we both like to just say it how it is with these things.

Quote from: Caseyyy on January 27, 2012, 01:11:50 PM
No one has ever blinked an eye at me being on anti-depressants (or, when I was, I'm off them now). I could have gotten hormones and whatnot if I was at the right place in my life. But depression is absolutely important to focus on, I agree with spacial.

I agree with both of you, but she won't go I think she really is convinced it will effect her treatment.

It's important to at least try to treat the depression with conventional means first. In my case, most of my depression was caused by dysphoria, but therapy and medication still helped a ton. It got me to a place where I could function while waiting for transition. And it didn't hinder me at all. I was on medical leave from school because of depression when I would have been cleared for hormones, had I desired them.

Quote from: foreverstar on January 28, 2012, 12:55:39 AM
I agree with both of you, but she won't go I think she really is convinced it will effect her treatment.

I do hope she can get the ball rolling on her treatment soon and wish her well.

All of us here, know the private hell that is transgender.

Quote from: foreverstar on January 27, 2012, 01:02:22 AM
Does going on them delay your treatment of is that a myth?

My girlfriend is very very ill with depression because of treatment taking so long and I am VERY worride about her.
Can she go get treatment for depression? and if she does will she be criticized for it and made to wait longer for treatment. This is what I have heard and it is making matters so much worse.

She is scared to get anti depressants encase they back log her treatment anymore. She is already on hormones and has been for over a year now.  We are doing this via the NHS so getting treatment in general is like getting blood from a stone. I can imagine private health care maybe OK with it. But the NHS seem to like any reason to not have to fork out for the treatment.

Please any input would be really really helpful!

I can definitely relate.  I struggle with depression due to being highly closeted, working in a trans-hostile environment, and having been unable so far to find other work (which only strengthens my resolve).  As such, my therapist recommended that I go on Wellbutrin.  My GP concurred and set me up.  It has really made life more bearable, although I still have the occasional bad day.

I highly recommend that your girlfriend discuss her depression with a professional. Medication may or may not be suggested, depending. I don't know how it might advance or delay her transition, but depression is nothing to shrug aside. I would think, though, that being willing to seek treatment for the depression would actually count in her favor as showing a willingness to take her condition seriously and handle it responsibly.

Not to alarm you but it would be sensible to have the phone numbers of some of the help lines readily available. I remember once when I really went down the chute I couldn't get my act together for finding help lines. Luckily I had written one down and they talked me through stuff.

As everyone is saying depression is no joke, it is a very serious issue and sadly many TG people suffer from it.

Hugs
Cindy

There is clinical depression which often requires the application of antidepressant drugs in order to have a good day. Then there is what I call  a self-inflicted type which comes when we get too self-involved in our own pity party. I can attest to the second type because I have been there. Often times it becomes simply a matter of changing the tape that's playing in our head to get the mind off of a negative subject and move to more positive thoughts. Change of scenery and lighting is helpful at times. The chemical approach isn't always the best way to go. Some of the medications are psychotropic drugs that rearrange  the brain wave patterns, one has to start with a small doseage and ramp up to the prescribed level, but what they don't tell you is that you can't just quit either, because there are long term, nasty side effects. One has to ramp slowly back down to get off of them.

My own issues with depression were coupled with PTSD and I found that the drugs had left me with a tick in my right index finger, it wants to move constantly and is irritating. I discovered that extensive counseling has done me wonders rather than the chemical approach as I learned to recognize my triggers and know how and when to sidestep them rather than turn into a lunatic.