Experiences with trying to get T

[A. Dillon]

I am still pre T, and pretty early in my transition in the first place. However, even though I have only been out and living as male for about 3 and a half months. However, I have had pretty obvious signs of dysphoria since I was a kid, especially over the last few years, and I probably would have been diagnosed with it if I had said anything a long time ago. I was just wondering what other people's experience with getting Testosterone is, because while I know it varies from state to state, I would just like to have some idea of what going to the gender therapist and/or getting a prescription.

[Jackie C.]

While not exactly the same thing, in my state you need a letter of recommendation from a gender therapist. All of my visits with a gender therapist have been peaceful affairs. Mostly guided conversation. They asked me about childhood experiences, when I first realized I was trans, how I felt I fit in, that kind of thing. I was always comfortable and I talked about everything from the first time I tried to pretend I was a girl to the, um, uglier stuff I tried in junior high and high school. After about an hour, they said they were willing to write the letter I needed and I danced out of their office. Badly. I can't dance.

 

Once you have that, you can get an appointment with the endocrinologist. The endo will then help themselves to your blood. Depending on your state of health, this could take a few weeks while they try to figure out what they can give you safely. When I first started out, my health was terrible. Despite the HRT, it's much better now. Anyway, once they're satisfied, the endo will start you on a low dose of hormones then ask to see you in about two months. My endo was very clear about that (because I asked). It takes about two months for your hormone levels to stabilize after a change. You'll repeat that cycle - dose change then two months and blood - until the endo is satisfied with your new hormone levels. Then they'll ease off a little bit at a time until you're down to yearly visits just to make sure everything is working properly.

 

Now some states have informed consent. In those states you can head into a planned parenthood practice, sign some papers, and ask for hormones. I'm guessing that even if you are in an informed consent state, you won't be able to do that because you're a minor. It would depend on local laws and, again, I don't know exactly where you live and our system in America is basically a crazy-quilt of stupid with islands of occasional sanity. If you need to wait until you're eighteen though, this could be an option for you depending on local laws.

 

So that's what I had to do for estrogen. T is easy, my body still makes it. I'd give it to you if I could. It's making me nuts. I hope some part of this helps you get what you need.

 

Hugs!

[TTheta]

I am seeing a therapist and she recently diagnosed me with gender dysphoria, only he said she wasn't going to put it on my records since Tricare (Military insurance) Won't cover anything. I was a bit confused and kinda wanted that on my record so for future use of wanting to get T. She also wants me to keep exploring my gender, though I have been sure of my gender for about 5 years and it has not wavered yet. though I will wait for downstairs surgery till I am at least 20-25 just to be sure 

[TrIIIy]

In Mississippi, I had to see a gender therapist and get a recommendation letter from them to give to an endocrinologist. This process took not quite a year. The hardest part for me was finding an endocrinologist able and willing to do transgender HRT who wasn’t 50 miles away. Mississippi just doesn’t have a lot of trans resources, though. You might have better luck where you live. I actually found my doctor through a Facebook support group.

Once you have everything in order, make sure to check about your T being covered by your insurance. I didn’t think that mine would be, since I have Medicaid, but it was! I had to wait until my doctor sent the prescription to the pharmacy before I could find out, though. It was a nice surprise.

[Ronin82]

I have a private Endo who does Informed Consent care, I think she's the only one in Houston! I tried to go through my insurance, but she wasn't a covered provider and I wasn't going to go through all the CRAZY red tape of waiting months and getting referrals when I KNEW what I needed. She had a waiting list of only a few months, so once I got into her office and had the initial consult, T was prescribed  almost immediately. She even had a discount program for labs and prescriptions so I don't have to fuss with insurance for affordable care! So, my process for getting on T was relatively easy. Surgeries will be more difficult, and I'll be starting the process for getting my insurance to cover top surgery as soon as possible as it may take a YEAR or MORE to get a response. <eyeroll>