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Survey on trans-friendly GP's

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  • Coming out is one of the most stressful times in a person's life and can be marked by really deep depressions and periods of exceeding joy.  If you are contemplating transitioning, at some point you will have to come out to your GP - who can be either tremendously supportive - or put huge obstacles in your path.  If you are in one of the periods where you are feeling very down and vulnerable this can be devastating and could lead to suicide ideation or worse.

    In an attempt to make this an avoidable situation for people, I have posted a new survey about trans friendly GP's on the [b][url=http://www.transfigurations.co.uk]Transfigurations[/url][/b] web site. The aim is to build a database of GP's around the country who are trans friendly and so avoid the frustrations that many people have when faced by a GP who is unwilling to help or is completely in the dark about treatments of transgender people.
    You can go to the survey directly from here:-
    http://eSurv.org?s=LKHIFL_1ed92149
    No personal data is collected and you remain completely anonymous.

    The results of the survey are [b][url=http://www.transfigurations.co.uk/pages/survey-results-01.html]here[/url][/b]

    This post was edited by Former Member at June 29, 2014 4:38 PM BST
      June 29, 2014 4:34 PM BST
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  • Question 7 is interesting: Was your doctor prepared to prescribe hormones pre GIC evaluation?
    I thought they weren't really allowed to do that without authorisation from a gender specialist. Is that still the case or is it a grey area?
    xx
      June 29, 2014 7:49 PM BST
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  • Q 7.As far as I'm aware Lucy, no they are, not, according to the guidlines for GP's and clinics/health centres.   Sure there would be some comback if they prescribed any relevant  medication and there were repercussions.    The basis is to ascertain a need.    We have seen people on here wanting tits, but not wanting to lose their ability to function as a man.

    Cristine Jennifer Shye.  B/L.  B/Acc
      June 29, 2014 8:25 PM BST
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  • From anecdotal evidence from other sites,there are quite a number of GP's who will do this - they regard it as protecting their patient from buying dodgy gear off the internet.  So, again just from anecdotal evidence, it would appear to be a grey area Lucy.  I was interested in trying to ascertain just how many GP's were willing to do this.

    From the responses so far, nobody has indicated that this has happened - although interestingly almost 30% of GP's will do all the necessary blood tests etc when a patient id self medding - which is encouraging.

    This post was edited by Former Member at June 29, 2014 8:35 PM BST
      June 29, 2014 8:31 PM BST
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  • There are no grey areas if you have a good relationship with your doctor. I was prescribed blockers and hormones way before my first appointment at the London gender clinic.

    I am not going into all of my personal details but , my GP would at times spend over an hour with me , she was learning from me as I was her first trans patient.

    Pre hormones I was taking anti depressants , there was no need for me to be taking them as I explained to my GP . Anti depressants were not the cure , the cure as I explained was sitting in front of you (Me).

    A GP can prescribe hormones under certain circumstances . I would never self medicate but I could have. No GP will take anyone seriously if they present themselves as a male if they intend to change gender to female . I changed my name , I was living my life as a female all of the time so I pointed out you have a duty of care to me , in a very respectfull manner. My GP could see and tell I was not playing games .

     

    I signed a consent form drawn up by her , it pointed out the risks ect , it was witnessed by a nurse and I was given my prescription. The cure was found for my depression , I knew that cure all along , I just pointed it out.

     

    I am not any different to any other person , if my GP can do that for me then others can too. That consent form which I do still have a copy of clearly states " It was my choice" No come back on the doctor and it has my signiture on the bottom of it.

    And the rest is history .

     

    Julia x

      June 29, 2014 9:50 PM BST
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  • Although I think the Harry Benjamin guidelines recommend otherwise, I fully respect Julia's GP for acting in that way. Maybe they all ought to do that, but I'm sure they won't. One can understand why and I don't think anyone would have reason to complain and call them "non trans friendly"; they are only trying their best to follow accepted protocol.
     
    "No GP will take anyone seriously if they present themselves as a male if they intend to change gender to female..."
    Actually I disagree with that, based mainly on my personal experience. I wasn't "out" when I first saw my GP, didn't really know where to start, just knew I needed a referral to a gender clinic. And my GP took me entirely seriously and was very helpful. He did suggest that it might help speed things up if I had gone full time and changed my name by the time I got to the the GC, which I duly did, and he was probably right. So the second time I saw my GP I was full time and he'd had a letter from the GC advising on hormone dosage...
    Things are bound to take time on the NHS, but they don't intentionally stall you unless they have good reason, which they will tell you straight.
    xx
      June 29, 2014 11:43 PM BST
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  • Hi Lucy .

    I may have mis-phrased that about taking "anyone" seriously but I will not remove it. I was meaning taking me seriously about being myself and the lengths I had gone to so my GP could see that I was not playing games.

    The day I told my doctor about myself I was presenting as a male. I walked home and that was the last time she or anyone else ever saw me as a male. The weeks and months that followed that day the message sunk in , Julia was here to stay.

     

    Then the rest is history.

     

    Julia x

    This post was edited by Former Member at June 30, 2014 12:20 AM BST
      June 30, 2014 12:19 AM BST
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  • I would agree with what you said Lucy - I didn't present to my GP at first as female, but then again that was the early 1970's and GP's knew far less about the subject than they do now - and he took me seriously.

    These days a lot of GP's are very clued up about transgender people (and a vast number still don't have a clue unfortunately and are antagonistic - and hence the need for the survey and database).  Some of those that do know what they are doing are prepared to start their patient on hormones if they suspect that

    1. their patient is self-medding and could be at risk

    2. their patient has already transitioned and could be at risk from depression/self harm etc

    as many GP's realise that being on the hormones will give that person some respite

    Take care
    Carol xx

      June 30, 2014 12:40 AM BST
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  • I earlier stated that anecdotal evidence had suggested to me that there were some GP's out there that were willing to prescribe hormones for patients before they had been referred onto a GIC and now that there are more people sending in replies to the survey it would appear that there is a sizeable minority of GP's who are willing to do this.  At the time of writing there have been 19 responses (please do partake if you can) and 4 of these GP's (21%) were willing to prescribe before evaluation by a GIC.

      July 1, 2014 12:45 PM BST
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