Cardiologist?

[xcdmargo]

Does anyone have a recommendation for a Trans or Trans friendly Cardiologist? Would prefer the Northeastern US but would be willing to travel if need be.

Thanks

[Karren H]

When it comes to vital internal organs.... trans friendly should be the last thing on your list... first should who's the best followed by is he or she covered by your insurance.... imho...

[Daryl]

I think mine is best where I live and he takes medicare. I don't worry at all if he's trans friendly.

[VictoriaPaul]

Wouldn't you want to go to a cardiologist in as calm a state as possible?

Wouldn't unnecessary fear or anxiery skew the results of an examination?

[Angela Campbell]

wouldn't you just want the BEST cardiologist?

[Jaylyn]

Karen's advice is what you need to go with. Besides what has Trans friendly got to do with a heart specialist unless you have a heart attack while dressed.. I know I get so excited sometimes just looking in the mirror at myself I think I'm going to need one.

[Tracii G]

That is an odd question. I would want a good one who cares if they are trans?

[mikiSJ]

You live within driving distance of about 10 of the world's best university hospitals - choose one and go!

IF you are on HRT - let them know up front!!

[xcdmargo]

I have two excellent Cardiologists one of whom is a World Reknown Specialist at Mt. Sinai in NYC. I have not disclosed to either one of them anything about me being trans and considering going on hormones. I know some of you will say just tell them but I'm simply not ready to make that disclosure yet.

My thought is to visit a Cardiologist that is familiar with Trans Girls and their needs but will also be familiar with my heart issues. I'd just like to get an opinion from someone who is and has been there so to speak.

I have had afib in the past that has so far been corrected by an ablation but I am very sensitive to taking any chances but still I'd simply like an opinion from someone who coud possibly be familiar with both of my issues

Thanks for the responses and thoughts

margo

[gailprice]

Really!! I know quite a few _____ologist here in London UK and not one of them care a toots hoot what you dress like or who/what you inspire to be. I know they are as professional in the US.
Just go and dont worry about it.

Gail xxxx

[Angela Campbell]

If you cannot even disclose it to a Dr. then you are probably not ready to go on hormones. They will make it hard to hide after a while. Have you discussed this with your therapist?

[Beverley Sims]

Dealing with mixed oxymorons here.
You need a cardiologist, and the best you can find would be good.
Whether he smokes or not doesn't come into it.
Nor should any other marker you want make a difference.

[Lorileah]

technically they should all be trans friendly...it sort of is part of the oath to help anyone who needs it. Their personal feelings should not interfere with their professional duty. As Miki pointed out...5 of the top 25 medical schools are in NYC

[sandra-leigh]

I get sent for cardio tests every few years: when you have a family history and have panic attacks, they like to be careful.

There is something uncommon about my traces, so they end up having to do at least a 14 lead EKG and have the cardiologist look it over carefully, scrunch up their brows as they trace it out with their finger, go back and forth on the traces a few times and mutter, and finally say, "I thought I saw something odd but No, it's normal after all?" I'm not sure after so many years but I think one cardiologist said that I've got a valve that lags just a bit but that it was so minor that it would never cause me trouble.

Anyhow, when I go in for these tests, the tests are usually administered by a nurse, whose only interest in what I am wearing has been whether my bra will get in the way of fastening a lead, and whether I would have take off my hose so they could attach leads to my ankle (I would have had to if it had been pantyhose, but it was knee-highs that day so rolled them down.)

It was important that the cardiologist know I was on spiro (blood pressure effects); it was also good to mention the estradiol because of the effects on cholesterol. And I would suppose that if you had had SRS then it would be important for the specialist to know about the genetic history due to differences in "normal" for different genetics.

Other than that, whether I am CD or TG or TS is not something my cardiologists have cared about one way or another, except in-so-far as if the specialist starts asking about stressors in your life, as part of assessing risks and probable outcomes, then your specialist would need to know to the extent that the situation is stressing you (including possibly by way of stressing you about keeping it hidden.)

[giuseppina]

Your cardiologist should know you are considering HRT. One of the risks of HRT is unwanted blood clots, and this falls within the cardiologist's expertise. I'm not a MD much less a cardiologist, but it wouldn't surprise me if he recommends against HRT given your history of heart issues.

[Diane Smith]

When I had my heart "troubles" 12 years ago (MI followed by triple bypass surgery and implantation of a mechanical mitral valve, with 50 minutes on bypass), the cardiologist I was assigned wasn't very "friendly" at all -- whether to TG's or anybody else, I suspect. He was matter-of-fact in his approach but totally distant and uninvolved and acted as if he wished I would just go away. I'm sure my "tells" (piercings, tattoos, painted nails, etc.) turned him off, although to some extent, he was probably the same way with everybody. Evidently the hospital agreed, because they fired him a year or so later in a scandal involving an affair with a nurse. I was happy to see the last of that guy.

On the other hand, I can't say enough about the world-class cardiac surgeon who actually performed my procedure. He was friendly, open, talktative (and not just about technical/medical issues), and incredibly skilled. If he noticed anything different about me (and really, he couldn't not have), it didn't affect his demeanor or our relationship at all.

Night and day difference between the two. I'd take the TG-friendly surgeon any day over the other guy in the interest of having a supportive environment in which to recover. So I don't think the OP's query is out of place at all.

- Diane

[sandra-leigh]

Heh. One of the collaborators we had at work was a brain surgeon, and apparently he was quite good at that. I heard, though, from our people who worked in his lab, that he had such a bad beside manner that he was forbidden by the hospital to deal with the patients alone.

I gather he was prone to telling patients things like "Oh yeah, you've got an inoperable tumor (hee hee). (Snort) It got your temporal lobe really good! Ah, you'll be dead in about 2 months."

You know, sort of like a vermin exterminator might say something like, "Look at what that sun of a gun did here! Sure is a persistent *******, isn't he?" in that laughing rueful and almost admiring tone.

Seriously, though, if you read recent articles about psychopathic tendencies, you will see researchers say outright that there are occupations in which those tendencies are an advantage. One of the ones I saw listed was cardiac surgeon, with the article indicating that if a surgeon like that cannot put emotions to one side and just work technically and say, "Eh, guess that wasn't the right place to place that stent; well, it's too late now, on to the next patient" (i.e., the patient died), then the surgeon would be likely to collapse from the weight of the emotional stress of people almost-dying or dying due to the surgeon's actions.