How I got on T

Hey friends,

For those of you who are worried and wonder how difficult it is to get on hormones, I just started, and I can only attest to FTM, but I thought I would make a quick post to let you how I got about it.

First, since I regularly see a psychiatrist, I talked to her about my gender identity and how the long path of questioning had led me to realizing that I believed myself to be FTM, and ask her how she sees me being. This is because I have a mental illness, which would come up in the process. She said I am the stablest she has ever seen me and encourages me to see the gender therapist.

Instead of finding any therapist who says they are an LGBT therapist, I found my city's gender organization through google. I made an appointment to see the recommended gender therapist.

At the first session I told him the whole truth, about how confused I had been and how I finally got to gender after thinking it was so many other things. I decided not to lie but be totally honest. He smiled a lot and was very sweet, and asked a lot of questions that it seemed he already knew the answers to. It was very comforting. He recommended that I go to the local transgender support group meeting.

I went there, and met amazing people, but especially an awesome transguy who has a story very similar to mine. Not only did he also know my gender therapist, he also knew of an endocrinologist who prescribes hormones with informed consent.

I saw the gender therapist again, and talked about my experience meeting other trans* folks as really ringing a note to me that I am ready to accept that I am transgender, and I am interested in hormones. He also recommended that I see the same endocrinologist that my friend from the meeting recommended.

So I went to see the endocrinologist. I disclosed that I had my mental illness, but was able to refer him to both my primary psychiatrist, and also the gender therapist. The endocrinologist also knows both my trans friend and my gender therapist. He agreed to prescribe me hormones, at a low dose to ensure my mental illness would not be triggered.

So I have been on T for one week.

I just wanted to let anyone who is overwhelmed trying to figure everything out; that the best thing you can do is find a support organization near to you if you have access to one. The people will have ties together, and they will be able to refer you to who they see, and also once you know who to go to, you have a greater chance of the doctors taking you seriously if you have gone to meetings and such.

If I didn't have them, I never would have gotten this far. I'd be so confused and they knew all the right people.

I was worried nobody would give me informed consent, but I got it.

Insurance is not covering my testosterone, but the local CVS gave me a three month supply for 19/month.

I saved a lot of time and heartache by networking and meeting people in person.

I hope this can help anybody who, like me, wasn't sure where to start.

~Nick

 

Thank you for the congrats

I just wanted to show yall that there is an amazing amount of knowledge and support in your local trans* or gender group if you have it, and your best friend is 'informed consent'

I wish you all luck and best wishes for you and your journey <3