No Hrt Letter Required Says My G.t.

[Guest qRachelp]

After four months in therapy, I asked my G.T. today a direct question about when I might get an HRT letter, and what hoops were

left for me to go through?

To my surprise and delight, she told me that her colleagues at the LA Gender Center had discussed this issue and decided that they neither

needed nor wanted to be gate keepers, and my G.T. would not be giving me an "HRT letter."

What I would get instead is a referral to a gynecologist or endocrinologist who works with the Center. They would counsel me as to the effects

and issues with undergoing HRT, and I would need to sign an "informed consent" form. That's it. I was free to start HRT whenever I felt I was

ready and she would provide the referral!

Shoot, I would ask for it immediately, but I have some big bills to pay between now and the end of the year, so it can wait until late January

or early February, when I was planning to start anyway. I might even wait for my birthday in February, as it seems appropriate to start on

my new "birthday" don't you think?

I wonder if this change in procedure will take hold elsewhere in the G.T. community? I hope so.

Carolyn Marie

Also (continued from last post), I bet "Big Pharma" has something do with the relaxing of the old HIBIGDA rules. Hormone Therapy is big money. And the AMA makes money off of the doctor visits, and ultimately SRS, but it all gets held up with too many rules. So it's just the 12 months of "real life experience" in your targeted sex before SRS rule that is still legally binding to the medical field, from my understanding.

Wow! Makes ya feel like a brand new girl already, doesn't it?

[Guest Donna Jean]

Even if some didn't require therapy getting it is a good idea. This is a too important life altering decision to not get guidance. Breasts don't disappear without surgery if you change your mind and some do change their minds according to my email. As transgender people we are often forced to be someone else for part of our lives. This can take a toll. Some develop clinical depression or other mental issues that need treatment. Therapists are not there to be the bad guy they are there to help you. Having a clear mind will help make your RLT more successful.

Laura

I still have to agree with Laura here!

The SOC (standards of Care) are NOT the law! They are guidelines to help make one's transition as smooth as possible with the least amount of problems.

I feel that a little therapy is good for everyone contemplating this life changing decision!

Donna Jean

[Guest Sarinah]

I think an important thing to remember here is that people need to be well educated in makeing decisions like this. That education comes more often than not from your therapist, and not allowing people access until the therapist has had an opportunity to educate them and they have had ample time to consider it fully is vitaly important to the health of the transgender individual and the transgender community as a whole. We will see many set backs if there is a huge increase in HRT followed by a large number of people who are unhappy with their decisions.

[Carolyn Marie]

This thread has opened a valuable discussion about therapy and its role in the process of transition. That's great, and its been an interesting topic

with lots of opinions and good advice.

Despite my obvious pleasure in the fact that a "letter of recommendation" for HRT is not always required, and isn't by my therapist, I don't

want anyone to misunderstand that I am not, by any means, suggesting that therapy is not an excellent idea, and that I strongly recommend

it for anyone thinking about transition. Therapy has been extremely beneficial to me and nearly everyone else I've talked to or heard from

on this site.

Transition is the most important decision anyone can make. It is a life altering decision, that effects not only the person transitioning, but all of

those around them as well. It should never be taken lightly, and once physical changes occur, it cannot be reversed. Therapy is meant to

ensure that mistakes are unlikely. The guidelines aren't there just to protect the medical professionals, they are there to protect all of us.

If my original post suggested that I felt otherwise, I apologize. My goal was to put out information on the way the SOC was being interpreted,

not to suggest that the SOC should be ignored.

Carolyn Marie