well i went to see my psyciatrist today and told them i want to be a woman.
she was a good talker and asked how it all started and was i sure it was what i wanted.
ofcourse it is
She told me i have to start wearing dresses full time now so i am
and i feel great, and in 3 weeks i will be assesed for HRT, then ill start the changes, i was told it will take 2 years to complete, i will be very happy at the end.

if any one gan give me information on hrt and some experiences i can atleast know what 2 expect .

thanks for listening girls

i was thinking the same thing Sandra, I never understood the full time before transition thing...if we were comfortable with being full time w/o hormones or surgery we wouldnt put ourselves through it...just my thougts

i was thinking the same thing Sandra, I never understood the full time before transition thing...if we were comfortable with being full time w/o hormones or surgery we wouldnt put ourselves through it...just my thoughts

well the shrink was a student with her boss so she will disscuss case the i will go back and hopfully get a more experienced shrink

Exactly Sandra

Such a RLE shows only if you have nerves and humour enough. Nothing else. It has nothing to do with the role of a woman in the society.

Laura

This is true, but NHS logic is far from perfect. A better arguement would be that that It's costing thenm a ful £250 per hour to send me to the psychiatrist they chose to send me to, and have to refund £30 travel expenses to me each time I go there!

on the basis that my psych says he needs to see me at least another 18 times, that's a lot of money wasted!

I think that hormones should be a part of the patient examination. It is a known fact that those who are no transsexuals experience female hormones as unconvinient and get various minor health problems with them.
A short term experiment with hormones, low dose, is generally not dangerous.
In my country it seems to get stricter with the hormones. Now basic health center doctors are not any more allowed to prescribe female hormones to women. That means once I have been dropped among "regular women" I must seek an expensive gynecologist in order to get continuation to my prescription.

Laura

Hi Rachel, Girls
A very interesting thread. I am Canadian, 51, married and transitioning. Our OHIP (health insurance program) does not pay for medication but does pay medical services (excluding recently SRS).

The process in England of a RLE (RLTest in Canada) seems nothing short of mean spirited. Perhaps economics is the factor. After signing a release, I was prescribed estradiol and Novospiratone and have been taking the same for 6 months now.

Out of desperation and personal despair at the state of my life I came out to my wife and family. No one should have to reach that point.

Wearing a dress for three weeks is no kind of meaningful 'test' whatsoever. I see no evaluative insight that would come from such an experience. It almost sounds like hazing. At best it would simply be an unpleasant experience, at worst it might risk your job or safety. I think that we are seeking (like all rational people) congruence out of the conflicts in our lives and self-perception. A RLE of a man wearing a dress is no test of this nor any kind of achievement of this.

Get yourself to another psychologist/psychiatrist, hon. You'll be better for it. And lastly, shame on them.

Just got letter from GP asking to see me asap so i can ask him to refer me to GID and Asses me for HRT, wish me luck(ill need it)

start treatment at GID in notts soon its all go now

i also have made a friend who is going to the clinic as well so we can share experiences, ill keep you all up 2 date, and thanks for the support girls, and all my love rachelXXXXXX

sandra and laura, i agree with your views on our nhs "rle", which is really why i have decided to self-medicate. i think from a practical point of view i would also find full-time difficult before some sort of hair removal on my face (you have to grow it sufficiently to get it removed - can't cover that up with make-up), and before having my adam's apple removed (mine is quite large, yuk).
so far i haven't heard any good reports about treatment on the nhs, but i'll find out for myself soon.
xx