How long it takes to get on T typically

[hmillerrr]

Hi. I'm new here and while I am questioning and not 100% sure I want to start T or even identify as man; I have a question about the process of T. Can someone please tell me how the process works? If u are 18 do u just go to ur primary doctor and ask for a referral to a doctor that could get you on T? Is there specific requirements that need to be met to qualify to start T? Is there a waiting list to get on T? I'm sure I have more questions but I can't exactly think rn but I'd really appreciate any thorough explanation. for those that read this, Thank you for your time.

[Zedarius]

It really depends where in the world you live, and your own situation. 

 

From what I know, if your 18 and over,  it may go someyhing similar to mine (depending on if you go Gender Therapist/Phycologist way or not)

 

I can tell you what happens where I live, and how it works with what I did,  and will continue to do.

 

First off - I live in Australia.

I'm going through a Medicare system (public health care - free and reduced prices for all heath services). There are also Private Health Insurance, or "out-of-pocket" options. To do this I had to go through my doctor - to get referred to my current Gender Clinic.

 

Once referred, there is a waiting list for seeing the Gender Clinic (at the time I was referred it wad 6-7 months - through Medicare - different for the others). Before the first session most places will get you to fill in General Admission forms (basic details). 

 

Then its just a matter of waiting - most places will ring you with an appointment time - mine wanted a brief biography (how gender issues effected my life) with the first session - it may be different for you - depending on clinic, where you are, and how you identify - which will reflect what they want from you. 

 

You'll may have multiple sessions with one of their professionals (different for self-informed clinics), where I am its somewhere between 4-6 sessions;  unless they're are other issues...

 

You may then get prescribed HRT - in one form or another - my clinic will get me to see one of their endochronologists - for pre-HRT blood tests, and ongoing tests,  etc. to monitor and check everything is going well with HRT.

 

This is what my Gender Clinic does - what happens with you may be different (I can't explain the process with Self-Informed Clinics - there isn't one where I live)

 

I assume that the first step - no matter where you are - would be to talk with your Primary Care Dr /GP ; or maybe a therapist/social worker who refer you to a : Gender Clinic/Gender Therapist/someone who help you go forward from where you are

[mochi90]

If you live in the States, you can contact your local Planned Parenthood and see if they offer LGBT services, and from what I understand that is a short process. Make sure to ask them if your insurance will cover the services because mine does not. 

[DrumbeatAlex]

Hey,

 

I dont have any asnwers but I'm curious about the T process too.

 

Zedarius, does medicare cover the cost of T or just the therapy? (I'm in Australia so I'm really interested to here what you know!)

[ChickenLittle]

Hi there, welcome to the forums. 

 

Where you live makes a big difference. I live in the US, California to be specific. For me, I had a very hard time getting in to a clinic at first, which caused a lot of frustration. The biggest place near me never returned phone calls and the waiting list was very long. 

 

But once I found a place that had availability for new patients, I was able to go in within a week and walk out the door with a prescription on an informed consent basis. I didn't need a referral or a letter or anything. I need to do blood tests a few times a year to check levels, but that's all the monitoring my doc says I need. 

 

That said, at this point you sound fairly conflicted about going on T, so seeing a gender therapist may be helpful for you to figure out what choices would make you happiest. 

[Zedarius]

On 8/30/2018 at 8:49 PM, DrumbeatAlex said:

Hey,

 

I dont have any asnwers but I'm curious about the T process too.

 

Zedarius, does medicare cover the cost of T or just the therapy? (I'm in Australia so I'm really interested to here what you know!)

 

It depends - Medicare covers 10 therapy sessions (general), and should do all of you sessions through the Gender Clinic - depending on the clinic.

 

Depending on which Gender Clinic you go to; Medicare should cut the costs of hormones (mine will be somewhere between $6 - $60 monthly).

 

Medicare should also cover blood tests.

 

It will also reduce the costs of surgeries by some amount (not sure how much though)

[VickySGV]

Here in CA, all medical insurance covers your medications and medical within the policy limits which is pretty much all mostly.  IF you are unsure, then do not go directly to the HRT, take the path through a therapist who has been trained in gender issues to help you be sure.  Your insurance may be the decision maker on the route once you are sure you want to have each and every one of the HRT effects (including the not good ones) depending on whether you are in an HMO or just a plan with a set of independent  providers. As @ChickenLittle has said above, Informed Consent which 18+ people can do will work, but with your uncertainty, the best route is for counseling and referral.

[DrumbeatAlex]

Thanks for the response @Zedarius.  It's good to know that about surgeries too (I'd never even really considered that medicare might cover them).

[Zedarius]

14 hours ago, DrumbeatAlex said:

Thanks for the response @Zedarius.  It's good to know that about surgeries too (I'd never even really considered that medicare might cover them).

 

Yeah, it wasn't something I was aware of until I went looking, and started asking...

 

From what I can find, Medicare covers some of all trans surgeries - for example: it will cover somewhere around half the costs of Top Surgery - depending on the place (as private clinics are likely to reject/reduce Medicare coverage ?)

 

In Australia they cover some of everything with the exception of implants (they consider that cosmetic surgery - everything else they have under medically nessecary)...

 

If you ever need info, I probably know something, or could probably find it...

I've been looking into it a lot for while...

[DrumbeatAlex]

That's great. :D  Coz yeah, I wasn't sure if they counted as "necessary" or not. It's good to hear that they do mostly count them.

 

Awesome. :) I'll keep that in mind and maybe send you message(?) if I have any questions you might know the answer to. I'm still ages of actually doing anything medical I think, but it's good to be able to have access to info early on.  :) 

[Zedarius]

1 hour ago, DrumbeatAlex said:

That's great. Coz yeah, I wasn't sure if they counted as "necessary" or not. It's good to hear that they do mostly count them.

 

Awesome. I'll keep that in mind and maybe send you message(?) if I have any questions you might know the answer to. I'm still ages of actually doing anything medical I think, but it's good to be able to have access to info early on. 

 

Yeah, I'm more than happy to send info

 

It sucks that the info isn't really "out there" to find. It took a while to find anything "proper" or anything with any remotely decent info ?