Congrats on your surgery date, Jak! December will be here before you know it.

Do you know if your PCP has trans health experience?

Congrats on your surgery date, Jak! December will be here before you know it.

Do you know if your PCP has trans health experience?

No, I don't. She's been my PCP for 20 years and is great in all other regards. Just a tad nervous about broaching the issue with her. I'm limited in terms of who I can see if I want to remain "in network." I do want to remain in network as the costs are significantly different if I go out of network. Even though it's a large HMO with hundreds of physicians, the only folks who have the "GLBT" designation (as in familiarity, not identity) on their listings are mental health professionals. I'm sure it will be fine, just have to get over the hurdle. It's really the challenge of her looking at this 50-something person and thinking, "Huh?"

Thanks for your note!

You may find it helpful to come armed with some information. Even if a doctor has no experience, there's LOADS of information available to them, and if they're made aware of that and your willingness to do some of the footwork yourself, you might be able to avoid getting bounced around with referrals.

My doctors also had no trans experience, so I had a copy of Medical Therapy and Health Maintenance for Transgender Men: A Guide For Health Care Providers printed and spiral bound, and brought that in. That eased their concerns of the unknown, and I think it also inspired some trust--they know that I'm reading the medical lit, not just getting my info from YouTube or something.

There are a number of additional resources for providers here: http://www.trans-health.com/resources/

ps. The Medical Therapy and Health Maintenance guide is an excellent manual for patients as well. I had one spiral bound for myself too.