Quite Disappointed..

[halfman_halfamazing]

I got my period. I just say it cuz I hate crazy names for it.
I haven't had a shot for 3 weeks and my doctor denied my refill. I had an appointment Tuesday but I had to postpone it til next week cuz I came down with some 24 hour flu thing. So now I have to wait even longer to get a shot.
I feel and see myself getting smaller and smaller. And crankier and funkier and blah blah blah..

Anyway on a higher note today I- well.. my girlfriend told my brother and sister I changed my i.d to male. So I popped it out and showed it. Now they all know. That this is for real. A few weeks ago my sister told me that one of her bff's who works for Planned Parenthood wants me to volunteer for a transgender thing they have down there. That was the first time I ever heard her say and acknowledge anything about me transitioning. My brother hasn't SAID anything but he knows. We talk about it to him and around him. He just hasn't had something come out of his mouth about being trans.
Oh and he just sat through the beginning of a transgender special with us.

[Andy66]

Sorry to hear that. So then, you're saying your doctor denied your shot because you had the flu? How long have you been on it?

[halfman_halfamazing]

Sorry to hear that. So then, you're saying your doctor denied your shot because you had the flu? How long have you been on it?

oh no no! i think she denied it cuz i need to see her. it would've been sooner but i had the flu and to change it to next week so now i have to wait even longer.

[Ze]

The hold doctors have over birth control is utterly ridiculous. I saw it time and again at the pharmacy. They're just so freaking gung-ho about making sure you get a check-up first before they give you that extra refill or new RX. *shudders*

And yet at the same time I saw doctors calling in refills for controlled medications because the patient "ran out too soon." They're controlled for a reason, dammit! And birth control ain't one of them! One of those patients later overdosed on said controlled medication (is/was an addict) and is only alive today because her son walked in on her. We all knew she was an addict and the risk it would run if she got that much new medication far before she was due, but were we allowed to speak up to the oh-so-high-ranking doctor? Nope. Yet numerous times I saw female-bodied patients having to go without their birth control because most 95% of doctors refuse to call in an emergency refill without a check-up.

Anyway...Western medicine rant over for now...

[KarenCDFL]

Hi Ze,

What is even worse is that licensed physicians and licensed Pharmacists are illegally denying birth control medication, "the Overnight Pill and life saving medication to HIV patients because of their religious beliefs.

Their answer is "you will just have to go somewhere else"

That is complete BS

And you're right, these are the same Doctor's who proscribe and the Pharmacists who dispense narcotics without batting an eye.

Damn this gets me so ticked off.....

[Ze]

Quite right. Maybe it's the feminist in me, but I believe a lot of this hooey is because medical practitioners (still largely a male population) believes they can hold power over the female body...and usually enjoy that belief and wielding the practice.

In PA, at least, anybody over the age of 16 could get Plan B without an RX. We kept it behind the counter, however, for reasons the owners would never explain to me. (In their defense, though, maybe it was still law like with pseudophedrine products.)

I'm happy to say that I never denied somebody that pill. And when a co-worker had issues, I'd take care of it myself. Nobody should have to suffer because of somebody else's personal beliefs.

The male owner didn't agree with giving younger females birth control, but he was still a good example for other medical people because he gave it to them anyway. It was his personal belief, yet not his personal business. All in all, I truly miss working with that guy.

[Stitch]

I can sympathise. I went to pick up my pills recently and its a nightmare going in every 6 months for a check up. Especially trying to get there in the week when I'm working. They don't take non-emergencies on the weekend.

Thankfully I've never been denied birth control, I'd mostly go postal otherwise. All the nurses I have seen have all been very kind. Although I have batted heads with a male Doctor but that was unrelated. (He was an absolute arse though)

I had a fantastic experience with the head nurse the other day though. I mentioned I wanted to try "a more permanent" form of birth control as I don't want children, and its a pain coming in all the time for pills. She recommend I try the UID and set me up an appointment to chat with a Doctor (female) to see if it would work for me. Lasts for 5 years apparently! Here's hoping it works.

[Ze]

Stitch, regarding an IUD, please be aware of all the risks and potential problems regarding it. It usually can cause more discomfort in women that have never had children, can cause severe cramping, and make your cycle heavier. (And yet, at the same time, some people find their cycle lessened. *shrugs*) There is also the risk of tears and infections.

Not trying to scare you off it at all. But especially for women that haven't had children, I like to tell them the warnings for IUDs because it at least makes me feel better.

[Andy66]

After trying a half dozen types of birth control that didn't agree with me, I eventually had my tubes tied. No more putting strange chemicals in my body. Yay. Now the monthly thing is slowly coming to an end naturally because of my age (menopause). Ron, I don't know if you want kids or not, but maybe you can get things taken care of in a more permanent way at some point in the future.

[Stitch]

Stitch, regarding an IUD, please be aware of all the risks and potential problems regarding it. It usually can cause more discomfort in women that have never had children, can cause severe cramping, and make your cycle heavier. (And yet, at the same time, some people find their cycle lessened. *shrugs*) There is also the risk of tears and infections.

Not trying to scare you off it at all. But especially for women that haven't had children, I like to tell them the warnings for IUDs because it at least makes me feel better.

No sweat Ze! I appericate your concern

This is why I'm gonna have a chat with the doctor about the pros and cons of each type. Ideally I'd like to have my tubes tied, but at the age of 24 so many people are convinced I'll change my mind I daresay I'll have to do back flips through hoops to get them to even consider.

[AnonyMouse]

Ideally I'd like to have my tubes tied, but at the age of 24 so many people are convinced I'll change my mind I daresay I'll have to do back flips through hoops to get them to even consider.

'Cause everybody knows that a REAL woman will want to start making babies at some point in her life. And if you don't, well, what's wrong with you? And they say sexism is dead.

[Ze]

but at the age of 24 so many people are convinced I'll change my mind I daresay I'll have to do back flips through hoops to get them to even consider.

I feel you on that one. You know what's even more frustrating? When you're an FtM and they still think this. I began investigating hysterectomies probably nearly a year back now and I couldn't find anyone willing to operate on me (even in the hypothetical sense). Their reasoning? I was too young and too little. And what if I changed my mind later? *facepalm* It seems the only way FtMs can have the operation done is if they pretty much force a surgeon via their letters. And the last thing I want is to irritate the surgeon that's about to cut me open. Yeah...

[4serrus]

And try getting birth control at all without medical insurance. So much fun. Except not.

[Ze]

And try getting birth control at all without medical insurance. So much fun. Except not.

Oh hell yeah. Doctor visits suck tremendously when you don't have insurance, even moreso in this regard because of how demanding and strict they are. They're never this stern with other drugs, even something like Oxycodone! They give that stuff out like candy! Not kidding!

More pharmacy rant:
Birth control (pills) are still some of the most consistently expensive generics you'll come across. (I didn't handle the other forms very often, and hence can't give proper comment.) And yet companies try really hard to make new reasons to keep their brands as brands when their patents run out. One of my favorite examples is one company that made a chewable version of their birth control in order to keep the patent going.

For those of you who don't know, a patent is given to a pharmaceutical company when they've "invented" a new drug. These patents usually last for years and give the company complete rights to selling the drug, hence why brands are so expensive. Consider it a monopoly. When those patents run out, the "recipe" can be bought by other companies and generics are then born. However, companies fight their own patents running out and usually either sue to keep it going X years longer, or create a "new" version of their brand, as shown above.

I'm currently only referring to American medicine. The patent fight is very common with any sort of drug, but I've noticed a more prevalent pattern with birth control pills. The price in turn makes insurance companies less willing to pay for it. They demand prior authorizations, expensive co-pays, refuse to cover birth control at all, etc.

[halfman_halfamazing]

i'm talking about testosterone...

[Ze]

My apologies, Ron. Miscommunication there and we hence got off topic.

Though it still brings up the rant of FtMs and their hardships with getting what they need. He denied you your shot because you had the flu? Heaven forbid any of us get sick then! This is yet again why I fear starting T; I don't want to become slave to Western medicine because it always screws you over.

[AnonyMouse]

There's always black market.

(Kidding. Don't do that.)

[Ze]

Does somebody want a smack?

[Nicole Erin]

There's always black market.

(Kidding. Don't do that.)

About black market -
And the conjugation correlation congregation said -
AMEN

Of course no one goes THAT route, of course not.
No, why do that when you can help make doctors rich? After all, they spend a whole 5 minutes with you.

[Felix]

Totally out of order you shouldn't have been denied ya 'T' end of story xx Felix

[halfman_halfamazing]

no no no! lmao going crazy!
it wasnt cuz i was sick at all!
i had to change my appointment because i was sick. i made an appointment cuz i need more t but i couldnt make it in time so it was denied because i guess she wants to see me first or something. so that's why i have to wait longer.
phew.
lol this what you all look like in here! :

[Andy66]

Sorry, Ron.

[Ze]

Hey, Ron, there's this little thing called "detail" you may want to try earlier on in your next thread. You have to admit the way you had it originally written could be easily misconstrued in both ways that we all did.

[halfman_halfamazing]

well i thought it seemed clear

[Andy66]

Heh. It happens to me all the time. Anyhow, sorry to hear you had a tough time. Hope you've gotten the situation under control.