"Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you."
Now that I have your attention. I'm posting because I'm a frustrated. Perhaps someone can offer some sage council?
The problem is that every medical referral I've needed to date feels like a huge battle. I've been trying to get on HRT for months.
I'm told I need a psych eval. No problemo, but it took weeks just to set a date. I finally called on my own. After the fourth call I got a date. Time eventually passes and I go.
Afterwards it took 15 more calls and two week to get the notes back to my doctor. Now I'm trying to get an appointment with an endo. I was told the earliest opening would be in April. Fine, but can we get it scheduled? I've called six times now. Still no date.
I understand appointments may be weeks or months out, but why does getting appointments set feel like I'm pulling teeth? Perhaps my expectations are wrong? I feel I'm not being taken seriously and shunted aside.
In the interim I've placed an order for hormones. I was trying to avoid self medicating, but I have no freaking clue when, if ever, I'll get that appointment.
Frustrated.
Bobbi, that does seem like a bit much. The only issues I had was finding a therapist that wasn't already booked with patients. once I found one I didn't have any problems. I only need the therapist for the surgical letters. Seeing an endo never was an issue. I wonder if what you are experiencing is due to all the lockdown/pandemic stuff.... Michelle
Not promoting it but if you call planned Parenthood you can do telehealth from home and probably have a precription by the end of the week. A person should see a therapist but if you have in the past and got yourself settled it's a easy solution.
An update.
Yesterday I decided I'd go in person and find some answers. Long story short, I eventually made my way to the endocrinology practice. They said my case was under provider review. Once that's complete, I'll receive an appointment.
The nurse didn't elaborate on what provider review entails or when it'll be complete. (If anyone knows, please enlighten me.) For now I presume it's to make sure I'm a healthy candidate, which I believe I am.
So now I get to practice some patience and wait.
A friend of mine was having some of the same issues. They found out a major university medical department had special programs for trans people and they got immediate attention and appointments. Don't know if there is a university near you.
Update to my update.
Turns out the psych clearance wasn't sent. That gummed up the works. But my pestering got someone to look, call, and get things rolling.
Bobbi, you're my hero for finding a path forward anyway. It won't be the last time we face obstacles from others to things that need not be so difficult, particularly concerning managing our own medical care.
Fwiw, my cis female friends have faced this sort of obstacle and more every time they sought medical help for basic female care. One former partner would ask me to put on my boy face and go with her to talk to her doctor. It didn't always get what she wanted, but at least the doctor stopped harassing her with questions like "Have you discussed this with your husband?"
Giving up male-presenting privilege is a thought on its own 👀
Keep going keep fighting ❤️
Bobbi Sue:
I'll put up a disclaimer and state that I have not particular insight into your issues, but some things do come to mind.
In a lot of ways the virus has screwed up a lot of things. Even though it has been a year, there are still a lot of unknowns in how appointment methodologies have changed. Some adopted new methods a while ago, but others more recently. Medical office staff may be short-handed and some may be working out of position. For places that don't have large waiting rooms, I think the scheduling has changed in order to avoid crowds. My guess is that you are experiencing an intersection of all of these.
From personal experience, I have a bit of a parallel. 12 years ago when my wife was spending a winter with me in Taiwan, she had a bad bicycle accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury. It has been necessary for her to use a wheelchair for mobility ever since. Air travel with a wheelchair should be relatively straightforward, but it isn't. What experienced people told us was that after you inform them of your needs, you need to check with them periodically to make sure that everything is in place. THEY WERE SO RIGHT!! We have flown 7 or 8 times since then and half the time when we checked, the airlines either got the details wrong or did not have the information at all. When you said that you called multiple times, that is exactly what you have to do. I don't believe that people set out to do a bad job, but they can get compromised by circumstances and their surroundings...
