[coldwut]

So I did tell my psych but I was told that they can't treat me because I don't have a diagnosis.

My question is who do I go to to get one? They told me my pcp should diagnose me, but I do not have a pcp. When I get a pcp, should I tell them over the phone that I am looking into hrt when I set up my first appointment? Should I go straight to an endocrinologist instead? What's the assessment like? Do they ask about attraction? Will I be seen as less of a man, or not a trans guy, because I like guys instead of girls?

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by coldwut

So I did tell my psych but I was told that they can't treat me because I don't have a diagnosis.

My question is who do I go to to get one? They told me my pcp should diagnose me, but I do not have a pcp. When I get a pcp, should I tell them over the phone that I am looking into hrt when I set up my first appointment? Should I go straight to an endocrinologist instead? What's the assessment like? Do they ask about attraction? Will I be seen as less of a man, or not a trans guy, because I like guys instead of girls?

being transgendered isnt about whether a person likes guys or girls. transgendered just means a person feels they are supposed to be the opposite gender then that are, (example a guy feels that he should be a woman, and a woman feels she should be a man) its about how they see their self as being.

guys liking sex with guys is called gay
women who like having sex with women is called lesbian
a person (regardless of what gender they are born with) who enjoy sex with both men and women is called bisexual
a guy who enjoys sex with just women is called heterosexual
a woman who enjoys sex with just men is called heterosexual

usually gender is assigned at birth according to what genitals a person has, then as they grow us a person knows what they think of their self including their gender.

being LBGT isnt considered a mental disorder in america but if you feel you have the gender mental disorder known as Gender Dysphoria to get diagnosed with this you contact your therapists who will set up diagnostic evaluations with a psychiatrist or you contact your insurance company to see who they have assigned you for mental health treatment providers. if you are under the age of 18 you will need to talk to your parents as minors are usually listed on what ever insurance plans their parents have signed them up for.

[Skeezyks]

Hello coldwut: The Skeezyks doesn't really know the answers to your questions. But I saw that no one had replied to your post. So I thought I would.

I would think that, to some extent, how you proceed here would depend on who's paying the bills. If you have health insurance of some sort, & they're paying the bills, how you proceed here may depend on what they require. In some cases health insurance providers require that you be referred to a specialist by a general practice doctor. In other cases, one may be able to go directly to a specialist (an endocrinologist, for example) by-passing the pcp. If you're insured, & you don't follow the prescribed procedure, you may have difficulty getting your bills covered.

If, on the other hand, you're paying for this yourself, then you're free to do what you want, although some specialists will only see patients who've been referred by another doctor. So you'd need to check this out with the specialist's office.

Since I have not done what you're doing, I really can't comment, with any authority, regarding your other questions. But good luck!

[Rand.]

Jeez, I coulda sworn I posted a reply. Guess I never finished or pressed reply or something, I dunno.

I don't know how it works in the States, exactly, and I'm guessing it's going to be a little different depending on which state, or even city, you are in. That said, you say you have a psych, is that a psychologist? If they are PhD level, they are quite qualified to make the diagnosis. But I'm going to assume they are not.

I strongly recommend that you check with your nearest Pride group, via facebook, e-mail, phone, in person, whatever is clever, for more specific advice. Honestly, that there is probably one of the best things you can do. It will make everything immensely easier/smooth. You will likely need both a pcp and an endocrinologist. See if there are any endocrinologists in your area who have experience with trans people. You'll probably need a pcp to get a physical health checkup at least, but I don't know. It's probably not bad to have a pcp anyways if you can. Whether you need a pcp for the diagnosis or if the endo will be enough, your Pride group will know. Endo should know, too, if they have some experience with trans folk.