Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

How does one transition in the uk what is the process ?


Blackpulse

Recommended Posts

Sort of need to be directed and told how it goes for mtf in the uk. I am so confused i want to know about it before making the decision to go ahead i am moving out of my parents home so i can soon once be myself 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Hello Blackpulse and welcome!  Unless you can afford to go to private care you will need to make an appointment with an office of the GIC, part of NHS.   Hopefully one of my UK sisters or brothers will pop on and give a fuller explanation.  I do know the wait times are long (up to a year) so whether you are 100% certain or not, call and get in the list.  You can always cancel later if that's what you decide.  

 

Please go to Introductions and post a bit about yourself so we can meet you.  

 

Cheers, Jani

Link to comment

hi

with me I had to get my gp to refer me to mental health services who then referred me to a gender clinic.(that took best part of a year)..the gender clinic then have a waiting list for your first appointment ..there is a difference in waiting times to be see for this, the gic in leeds had a 3 1/2 year waiting time although they were trying to cut it down but being a student city u can imagine the workload.i was referred to Sheffield and that was a year and a bit but as it got closer they extended it.dont be surprised if the waiting list is long,over 2 years..i know York gic closed their waiting list as so over subscribed.the best advice is to contact the gic where u are intending to move to and ask the current waiting time..you will find that appointments get moved or cancelled that is the norm.  my advice I give to all mtf is be patient nothing happens quickly especially in the uk. I also found out theres no jumping the que if u present as desperate. they will refer u for cbt ect with mental health before they let u on the list,basically they use what they can to shorten the waiting list...its a bit ironic that if u go with the ready when u are no rush u seem to get further on.....

Link to comment

Going back 7 years ago. Even the wait then was over a year.

 

Im not sure how it works in England But in Scotland you can self refer. So i just bypassed my gp and went straight to the gender and sexual health clinic.

 

To put in in summery terms.

 

First point of call is Either your doctor. or if you can self refer then finding the number to do so. Which im sure if you call any nhs sexual health clinic or such like then they will give you a contact at least.

 

Then be prepared to wait at leat a year and some but more as Jody said. maybe a couple. I hope your not in a rush.There is a lot of waiting involved. Which isnt such a bad thing sometimes as it gives you some space to contremplate if its truly right for you. If You still feeling the same when you do get your intial appoiment then go. if you do not then please make sure you call them and cancel as there will be someone who could take that appoiment. You will see a phychatrist. he will assess you. You could call him one of the gate keepers. Be truthful and honest. because not only him but you want to make sure its the right diagnoisis. If you need to take any evidence then do so. I was already full time when i had my intial appoiment which im sure helped my case. I would think that if you was the same it would be a little bit of an easier diagnosis to make. Plus if you are fulltime then i think you will have a better idea yourself. Yes it can be tuff without hormones but i was lucky in the sense i was already quite fem so to speak before i went full time I still have all my letters as you normally get a copy of whatebver they send to your gp

After that appoinment Should you be found to have gender dysphoria then you will have to wait again.  For your next appoiment. To see a Doctor. Not just any Doctor. One that specialises in Gender issues. You second Gatekeeper. he is the keeper of the hormones He or she. In my case a he will once again go over what was said at the first appoiment. To ensure you feel as you did. Also give you a mini medical. Bloods etc etc. What he thinks will be best for you  Such as pills and patches etc.

Then while your bloods are being checked by the lab. You will once again have to wait. As he does not actually precribe the hormones. He sends a letter to your doctor. Who will see you once the letter has arrived to precribe hormones on his recomendation. Ie the dosage and what you will recive, if it is the case. You will have to go back to see the gender doctor every six months or there abouts to check in and have your dosage monitored and he will check bloods etc and then send a letter to your docs to change your precribtion if needed. This will continue until you visit the gender doc every year. Again just for bloods and a chat. During your six month meetings hae will discuss surgery etc. That is also a waiting list on its own. Again i do not know what the times are now but when i was asked it was about Nine months.

 

Just as a sidenote. With NHS Scotland you get 20 hours free electrosis. Du not know if you get that in england but if you dont ask you dont get., So worth a mention.

 

This is what it was like  for me. and it all started about 7 or 8 years ago.. As i said i hope your not in to much of a rush. I still have to go once a year just for a check up. Also to ensure everything is as it should be in the bloods etc. Bear in mind should you decide to have GRS then they are seperate appoiments until you are signed off and discharged.

 

It may be a little diffrent in england but thats how it rolls up here. Im sure there will be suttle diffrences but thats the gist of it.

 

The only advise i can truly give is be open and honest with all the doctors you see. Help them to help you.

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

What an intense process @Maid In Bedlam.  Don't get depressed about this @Blackpulse as it is a defined process and it is paid for by NHS.  We don't have this in the US.  We're on our own to find care and unless we have insurance (and they cover TG care) we pay for it too.  

 

I imagine you could use some support about now so please join in the discussion here.  You'll find a group of caring people to converse with. 

 

Cheers, Jani 

Link to comment
9 hours ago, Jani said:

I imagine you could use some support about now so please join in the discussion here.  You'll find a group of caring people to converse with.

 

 

Thanks for making me notice what i left out

 

I forgot to mention how its a very Emotional ,Psychological and  Physical process that lasts a long period of time. They do not prepare you for that. Thats for you to understand and accept. They just give you the tools to assist in the process. You are gonna have some emotional and stressful times during your transition. The treatment will help. But not completly. You need to not only be emotionally strong but to also be very prepared for sacrifices you may have to make. Do not be fooled if its painted as all puppies and fluffy kittens. There are rough times to.

Forums like this are here to help you understand all the options and what to expect. Preperation is always the best way to move forwald.

However always remember the desion is ultimatly yours. The doctors will help but it is yours life to control.

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Perhaps one of the biggest things this forum did for me was to see i wasn't alone in facing the difficulties of transition.  It seemed an unending journey when i started.  At times the process simply stopped but over time my life has changed wonderfully.  Today the journey is relatively smooth but it still continues and understanding grows with the changes.  I was told when i started the process by a moderator here : "we've got your back".  We do.

 

Hugs,

 

Charlize

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Hi, hello and welcome ☺️

 

I have missed the start on this but you have good experiences given above. I have a link here which gives an overview: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gender-dysphoria/guidelines/

 

and https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/how-to-find-an-nhs-gender-identity-clinic/

 

plus there are support groups (probably variable / not regulated): https://www.transunite.co.uk/

 

In general, the NHS information seems to be good, although I have no real first hand experience. Waiting lists are long, as may be expected. Access via your Gp is the usual route but, if that is a problem, just push elsewhere. As mentioned, self referral may well be accepted.

 

Don't hesitate to ask further here as there is much experience and guidance to options.

 

Tracy

 

 

 

 

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   6 Members, 0 Anonymous, 87 Guests (See full list)

    • April Marie
    • Breanne_O
    • MirandaB
    • MaybeRob
    • Ashley0616
    • Heather Shay
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.5k
    • Total Posts
      767.2k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      11,942
    • Most Online
      8,356

    taxicab
    Newest Member
    taxicab
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. Amyjay
      Amyjay
      (58 years old)
    2. bettyjean
      bettyjean
    3. Breanna
      Breanna
      (52 years old)
    4. Emily Ayla
      Emily Ayla
    5. JET182
      JET182
  • Posts

    • Heather Shay
      A U.S. dollar bill can be folded approximately 4,000 times in the same place before it will tear. -You cannot snore and dream at the same time. -The average person walks the equivalent of three times around the world in a lifetime. -A hippo’s wide open mouth is big enough to fit a 4-foot-tall child in. -Chewing gum while you cut an onion will help keep you from crying.
    • Susan R
      Love it! This is great news. We need more of this to combat the excessive hate-filled rhetoric and misinformation. 👍
    • Susan R
      The experience was the same for me @April Marie. I slept much deeper and I woke up each morning feeling so much more restful sleeping with forms solidly in place. For me, wearing breast forms at night started when before I was a teenager. I had no access up to modern breast forms and certainly no way to buy mastectomy bras back then. I wore a basic bra my mom had put in a donation box and two pairs of soft cotton socks. I have some crazy memories of things I did in my youth to combat my GD but regardless, these makeshift concoctions helped me work through it all.   All My Best, Susan R🌷
    • awkward-yet-sweet
      Colorado isn't exactly a Republican place, and won't become one anytime soon.  I think those folks might be better off not spending their time playing Don Quixote.    We certainly have our share of California "refugees" moving into where I live, so I wouldn't be surprised to start seeing Coloradans too.  I suspect the trend over the next few years will see the blue areas getting more blue and the red areas getting more red as anybody who can relocate tries to find a place where they fit better.   
    • awkward-yet-sweet
      Well, at least it'll be a place some folks could choose.  Options are a good thing.
    • awkward-yet-sweet
      My family would have gobbled that jar up in a minute or two.  When we do have pickled herring, its usually for Christmas.  I didn't grow up with that particular dish, but I grew up in a Greek family so I like just about any kind of fish if I can get it.  However, ocean fish and freshwater fish taste so different.  We usually have more catfish and tilapia to eat than anything else.    What I can't quite get used to is the tons of cabbage my GF insists on eating.  When you live with a Russian, there is always cabbage soup.  Always.  When I first moved in with her, breakfast was "shchi" for soup and either bread or "kasha" which is a bowl of boiled buckwheat with butter and salt.  Those dishes can be made in any number of ways, some are better than others.  In the winter, it can even be salty and sour like kraut.  Not exactly sauerkraut, but packed in tubs with vinegar and salt so it keeps partially for the winter.  But I drew the line when the cabbage soup included pieces of fried snake one day.  😆
    • Ashley0616
      Good evening to you as well @Mmindy   That is awesome that you have support from her side. My dad has communicated with me once and that was because he was forced to. His new wife wanted to spend time with my kids. He hated me so much he was in the process of taking my rights away as a parent to my two boys. He was talking to a lawyer and I called him out on it. I don't love him at all. I'll respect him because I wouldn't be here without him but I wished I had another father. My uncles don't talk to me and unfriended me on Facebook. Almost all cousins except for two are still Facebook friends but they don't give me any support. My mom said she won't support me with that but she has said that she loves me. I have nieces and nephews that are still Facebook friends but they have yet to talk to me. I have one sister that supports me out of three. The other's disrespect me by deadnaming me. They have never called me their sister. I think for them they think it's still a phase. They don't ask questions about me being trans. I have to bring it up and on the look of their faces they don't look comfortable about it. 
    • Mmindy
      Good evening @Ashley0616,   I just got offline with HP tech support trying to get my printer tool box icon locked to my tool bar. This is one of the most important features of my printer that I like because it keeps track of ink, paper, and scanned documents. I'm diffidently not a computer geek.   I'll catch up with the other bookmarks next week. We leave to go home for the Easter Holiday with our families. Saturday with her side, and Sunday with my side. What's odd about that is I'm out to more of her side and they're reluctantly supportive. My side on the other hand are less supportive, and my sister just under me in age will not acknowledge my being there. She will be constantly moving to keep from dealing with me. I'm dead to her.   Hugs,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋  
    • Ashley0616
      I used to follow baseball and the team I would cheer for is Boston Red Sox. My favorite player was Papi. He was an awesome guy and even held a child during the National Anthem. I haven't watched baseball for a long time. It just died off to me. 
    • Ashley0616
      That stinks that nothing transferred, and no bookmarks were saved! 
    • Ashley0616
      I'm doing patches for now but I think soon I'll go to shots because it's hard to alternate when you are doing two xx patches at once. Unless she gives me Estradiol and progesterone
    • Sally Stone
      Go Cleveland Guardians!  I love baseball and I loved playing it when I was younger.  
    • Sally Stone
      My view is we are "dependent" on government, because as a society, we are too lazy to stay actively involved. So, we let politicians do our bidding for us.  I think we'd be in a better place government wise if we policed the actions of our politicians.  We elected them; they work for us.  Sadly, we are allowing them to run amok.  We are where we are because we have chosen to let politicians make all decisions without us.  Remember "by the people, for the people?" That was the intent of our democracy.  Today, however, it is "by the politicians, for the politicians," the people be damned. 
    • Mmindy
      "Play Ball! Batter Up!" is the closing line of the National Anthem as far as I'm concerned. It's the call of the Home Plate Umpire and signals the start of the game. I grew up in the TV and Radio broadcast of the St. Louis Cardinals. Harry Caray, Jack Buck, Tim McCarver, and Mike Shannon, were the voices on my transistor radio. KMOX 1120 AM pushing 50,000 watts of Class A clear-channel non-directional signal. It could be picked up all across MO, IL, IN to the East. KS, OK, CO to the West. IA, MN to the North, and KY, TN, AR to the South. There has always been a rivalry against the Chicago Cubs, in the National League. As for the American League, I have to pull for the Kansas City Royals. I've also been a Little League Umpire, and fan of everything the Little League stands for. Going to Williamsport, PA and seeing the Little League World Series is in my top 10 things to do on my bucket list.   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋
    • Mmindy
      Good evening everyone,   I don't think my mother ever cooked a meal that I didn't like. We also had a kitchen where mom fixed the food, dad filled your plate, and you eat it. It wasn't until our baby brother was born that we could have Pop-Tarts for snacks. Before that all snacks had to meet mom's approval, and in her opinion wouldn't prevent you from eating supper.   Well my day started off on a good note, but has become frustrating because my IT person didn't transfer my saved videos I use for teaching. Then I found out that they didn't save any of my book marks for websites I use frequently.   Best wishes, stay motivated,   Mindy🌈🐛🏳️‍⚧️🦋
  • Upcoming Events

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...