40 Hours 'till Therapy!

[xponentialshift]

I am about to go to my first therapy session in just over a day and I couldn't be more excited! I have been on vacation in Hawaii for the past week and I have honestly been more excited for therapy than for the vacation...

Anyway, I will be using this thread for updates and stuff unless I forget about it.

By the way my therapist is Dr Anne Vitale in San Rafael (near San Francisco) has anyone here heard anything good/bad about her?
I know she has seen hundreds of trans* patients and I believe she even contributed to the SOC v7 and has been with WPATH for a really long time.

Luckily I get to start therapy with the serious stuff because when she asked for me to send her a bio she said I explained my GD issues (among other things) very well.

I have a 6 hour flight and 7 hours of driving to get there so wish me luck against delays and traffic!

[Jill F]

You picked the right therapist.  I've heard nothing but good things and I've read some of her papers where I believe she hit the nail on the head.  She is an expert in trans care and knows what you need.

[xponentialshift]

Thanks Jill! That is pretty much what I figured from reading her entire website and linked information. I just wanted to make sure I didn't fall for some well crafted fake section of the internet like the fake "tree octopus" articles.

I actually had a classmate who did their 9th grade biology "species" formal report on the rare tree octopus... I felt so bad for them.

[xponentialshift]

Well my first session went great! (I think... Nothing to compare it to after all)
It was just an intake session so nothing major went on, although I had already sent her a detailed bio.

She said I would make an excellent candidate for transition and all I have to do is tell her when I'm ready.

I think at my session next week I will ask for a letter, even though I don't intend to actually start hrt until I know I am comfortable with it. (But probably within the next month)

My therapist knows my PCP very well (I have my first appointment with her on tuesday... Very excited) she says my PCP and I should be a really good match and that she really does look into all the details of nutrition! (I am vegan so nutritional blood work is a big deal for me... It is why I am leaving my last doctor)

So yeah, a good 50 minutes at the start of my transition (:

I guess I will make another update next week, either after my PCP appointment or maybe just wait the extra day and update after my next therapy session.

[xponentialshift]

Well I had my first appointment with my PCP today! She was amazing.

I actually got to ask, and got answers for all of my questions. She had me set up a follow-up appointment in 2 weeks at which point she says I can start hormones (she knows my therapist and knows that she will write a letter for HRT if I ask) but I may not even need the letter?

Everything at UCSF is digital so I already have the results to half my blood tests online. (Luckily I skipped breakfast and got to do the 12hr fasting tests today too)

Best thing is I didn't have to argue for various blood tests (dietary stuff) like with my last doctor.

Everything is healthy so I see no reason why HRT will be delayed. All that I am waiting on are B12 and vit D tests which won't effect HRT.

And I learned there is no need to take baseline hormone levels pre hrt if you start in a healthy position.

Even if I don't transition I would keep her as my doctor because I would not want to go back to my old one.

Anyway, therapy tomorrow evening. I'll update when I finish that session!

[xponentialshift]

Wow. Therapy was awesome... I actually feel happy? I think... Don't feel this way often. It is different than excited or anxious.

I found out my doctor usually works at an informed consent clinic and recently started practicing at UCSF so that is probably why she offered hormones without asking about a letter.

My therapist is also willing to write a letter. And she is going to contact my doctor (with my consent) to see if she wants a letter.


So yeah. The 29th. The first day I could possibly be on hormones.

Pretty much any doubt I had left was eliminated at therapy today. The only thing left is to start HRT and see whether my body thrives on or totally rejects E. Hurray for diagnosis by treatment... Makes things easy.

Next week I'll probably ask about fertility stuff. I plan to at least start HRT just to make sure I don't reject it. Then stop long enough to bank, then start HRT again.