Where do I go from here

[azure]

I'd really appreciate any comments or advice the girls here could offer, I began my transition in 1996 and lived full time asa woman, with all my official docs, in my new name, I was employed as a woman, issued female uniform, and treated as a woman which was womderful. Unfortunatley, due to having no support system, an acute lack of money, and being outed by ignorant individuals I made the decision to end my transition to get myself at least safe and stable. Its been two years and the feelings of wanted to transition are strong as ever(in fact I remember the day I began back as a guy, one of the first things I thought as I passed a pretty girl"OMG I would love to have a figure like hers" ..............and its been more or less a constant ever sice, just like it was when I first knew as a child.

Get to the point azure, oh ok, my point is I accepted that Im meant to be female and time is moving on each day(Im 40), so I went to see my doc, and told him I needed to deal with this, and could he get me back on the gender reeassignmnet program. I waited a few weeks coz I knew most doctors are mega busy, a while passed and no reply. So I rang the mental health department of the hospital (where I used to go to see my psychiatrist during my transition), they replied that the funding for individuals who are transgendered in wales has been withdrawn, and there is no more program.
I dont really know what to do now, my doctor hasnt contacted me. I want to go back on hormones, but I know its important to have a doctor and endocrinologist assisitance. I used to have my hormones on prescription, I guess I'll have to get the money together for the procedures. I dont know whether to look on the net and buy hormones, Ive rang bupa and they dont cover gender reassignment. I'd really welcome any views or ideas or if any of the girls on here are in a similar situation and how you may be dealing with it.
Thankyou.

[Maria D]

I'd suggest going private. If the NHS won't treat you, you only have that option anyway. I hate the NHS, did I mention that? Just closing treatment on people like they just don't matter. Who gives a damn about those stupid trannies anyway? They just cost money, let them suffer it.
For what it's worth, my doctor referred me to Leeds GIC. They bounced it back saying they only accect referrals from an NHS psychiatrist, so I've been referred to one of those now. I'm still waiting.
I went private last year anyway, so it was a moot point to me.

Anyway, Bupa and such like won't cover you, so I'd try a private psychiatrist who treats TG people as a specialty.
Dr. Reid in London retired, but has passed his practice on to Dr. Richard Curtis. His website is http://www.transhealth.co.uk and he practices in Manchester too.
I make no recommendations either way, but this can be a starting point in your search for help. He can certainly help with your issues should you choose.
He can offer shared care, should your GP agree, which would again give you only an NHS prescription charge for medications.
You could also ask your GP if, since Wales NHS funding has been withdrawn, could you be referred to Charring Cross, the NHS's foremost centre of TG care?

I hope that's some help to you.

Take care :)

[azure]

Im just rushing through between my shifts, I'll reply properly later tonight or tomorrow, Thankyou Maria!!!!

[azure]

I saw my doctor about transitioning this morning, he confirmed that the NHS has withdrawn the funding for gender reassignment, to be accurate he read what was on the screen of his pc, turned to me and said "the NHS is no longer recognising gender dysphoria a condition to be treated, now is there anything I can do for you this morning?"...................I ummed and arred, and l went home very dissappointed. I feel like Im coming apart at the seams, this cant be happening. In work I dress in a tshirt, a warm jacket , and jeans, and it keeps happening, male customers syaing "oh hi love/darling" etc one guy even said "hi mate...oh sorry love I excepected guy, how many girls are working in the company now?". Dont get me wrong I loved every single second of being seen as female, but my point is that the moment I said "oh ok everybody from now on Im going to live as a female, the very same people would be jumping up and down screaming abuse and worse. I was thinking the other day, wouldnt it be good if society would accept transgendered people if they put 100% into transisitoning and fully embodied life as a woman, that society would leave you alone and simply let you get on with it.Irronically there are so many of the population who claim to be straight down the line heterosexual and proud of it, a significant number hop back and forth on the gender and sexuality line whenever they feel like it, and adapt the rules to suit themselves. being full on gay one evening , then full on gay hating alpha males/females the next, and so on, in its many permutations.

[Natalie x]

It makes you mad, doesn't it? The NHS is happy to provide Viagra for guys who can't get it up often enough, and repair all the broken limbs of the Sunday Football fanatics, and patch up all the drunk 20-somethings who get into a fight outside a nightclub at 4am, and it will operate for hours to try to save the life of someone who has destroyed their own lungs by smoking. These things cost the NHS £millions, but it can't spare the funds to meet the needs of a relatively small number of us who are suffering mentally because we are trapped in the wrong body.

Oooh, it makes me want to SCREAM!

[azure]

Im at a loss to see how the health council here in Wales have ruled that transgendered individuals are not going to be treated, when with all due respect, being transgendered can wreak the proportioante level of suffereing, mental anguish, anxiety, and associated life issues as a conditon like anorexia, or any pronounced mental illness.Though individuals with anorexia have fought to be recognised as experiencing an illness in need of intervention. What struck me recentley is that , what if the health council in England adopt the same attitude and withdraw the services. The resultant message broadcast to society could be " we do not beleive being transgendered actully exisits as a real issue, but its just "all in their minds"
which will telll all the un educated part of society, "its open season on transgendered people" . I know these outcomes are radical, but I feel it is possible. I hardly think the health service would turn around and close all their psychiatric wards, being trabsgendered is NOT a mental illness but we are addressing a conditon which has a global and profound effect on an individuals life, for all their life.

[Maria D]

If it's not in the mind, where is it? Your sense of self, your sense of how your body should be, your feelings, thoughts and dreams are all in your mind, so yes, surely it's in the mind?
That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the mind, just that it doesn't match the body, and we can't change the mind. That's the crucial bit, and that's why we currently need the hard business of transition.
Of course, I understand your point about not recognising it, and I was under the impression the WHO recognised it. How then can a lesser authority not? Certainly in the UK Charing Cross GIC is big and with the influence of the psychiatrists in charge I doubt the NHS could recind recognition without a fuss from them.
There seems to be very little recourse with the NHS. Perhaps ask your GP what the complaints procedure is and go from there?
It looks like NHS help is going to be way off (and for me btw Leeds GIC have refused my GPs referral and are insisting on a psychiatrist's referral to accept me, so I've got to wait for that, then be referred to the GIC, who's waiting list is 2.5/3 years currently), so I still suggest going private if you can't cope without help. If your GP will do shared care that'll make it cheaper for you at least.
That's all I can think of to help, sorry.

Take care :)