I've made a big step in arranging a consultation with my doctor, with the aim of being referred to a mental health specialist (regarding depression, anxiety and some other stuff).

As I want to be 100% honest, I'll most likely tell them that I'm also taking Androcur and I'm very much enjoying the effects of having low testosterone.

but I'm wondering what their reaction will be.... obviously they'll advise that self medication is a very bad idea (that's fair enough) and warn me of the negative effects of having low testosterone, but do you think they'll just tell me to immediately stop? I don't consider myself transgender, so I'm not really sure what category they'll stick me under. :-\

does anyone have any experience with this?

Unfortunately most moder medical providers assume that if a person want to control or alter their natural hormones they are transgender. To the medical community anything that is not natural from assignment at birth is transgender. It's one of the fallacies of modern medicine.

Doctors have literally almost seen and heard everything. My experience is they barely blink when I tell them things that I used to think would be very embarrassing.

Years ago (OK, I actually qualify to order off the 55 and over menu at Dennys but not for the 10% off senior rate at the airlines), I read an article that said all gay men should have a gay male doctor.

The logic was that in that patient / doctor relationship there would be better communication. A gay patient might be more open about issues of oral, anal, and kinky sex. So, for the better part of three decades I had a gay male doctor. The article was right - I did feel more comfortable bringing up subjects that I might not have wanted to talk about (or worse have hedged on all the facts with) to a straight doctor.

But, recently, I've moved back to a much smaller town. The choice of doctors isn't as varied and I now all straight doctors. My experience with being open with my former doctors has made me completely open with my new doctors.

I even school them from time to time - one example is recently a GI doctor wanted to know if I was gay because it meant he would do an anal pap smear as part of a colonoscopy. The way he asked it was, "now the dreaded question, are you gay?" I immediately told him I was and he explained about the anal pap smear. Then, I told him that an anal pap smear should be done on all patients no matter if they are gay as fluids from even straight sex routinely run down to the anus. Secondly, I told him it neither was nor should it be "the dreaded question" and that it should be a question on the information sheet patients fill out at their first appointment. Sex: ___ Male ____Female Trans Yes / No ___Straight ___ Gay ___ Bi. I don't think he'll change his patient intake forms, but it did help him to understand that asking about being gay is a valid medical question.

OK, after that long wind up - write it on your list of medications on the intake form.

Then, write down your top five questions that you have for the doctor. Bring that paper with you and after the nurse takes your blood pressure, temp., pulse height and weight and leaves put the paper on the exam table and sit in a chair. I write my questions with a sharpie on an 8.5x11" piece of notebook paper.

With that paper on the exam table, the doctor will see it. They'll appreciate that it only has five questions and they'll appreciate that you wrote them down. Don't write down 100 questions, because they can't answer that many in one visit.

Will the doctor lecture you about self medication? I'm doubtful. He/She might ask you why you are taking the medications and what blood work you had done before and after you started, but I doubt a lecture will follow.

I'd be 100% shocked (and ready to change doctors) if they didn't order blood work to see how your liver, kidneys, etc. are handling the meds. Also, they'll most like run hormone tests for a few hormones and markers.

Further, if you tell them you are planning on staying on the Androcur, they might prefer to write the script for you. That way, they'd be 100% sure of exactly what you are taking and exactly how much. As you are aware, internet sources can vary in exactly what you are getting.

Should you try to find a doctor that is trans or at least trans friendly? If you feel better about it. But, it's not always possible.

I just told my doctor about this. I was expecting to get a lecture about medicating myself. But, she didn't bat an eye! I was surprised.

WannaBeSmall (imported) wrote: Sun Jul 15, 2018 7:08 am I've made a big step in arranging a consultation with my doctor, with the aim of being referred to a mental health specialist (regarding depression, anxiety and some other stuff).

As I want to be 100% honest, I'll most likely tell them that I'm also taking Androcur and I'm very much enjoying the effects of having low testosterone.

but I'm wondering what their reaction will be.... obviously they'll advise that self medication is a very bad idea (that's fair enough) and warn me of the negative effects of having low testosterone, but do you think they'll just tell me to immediately stop? I don't consider myself transgender, so I'm not really sure what category they'll stick me under. :-\

does anyone have any experience with this?

I doubt that they’ll bat an eyelid.

They will probably be interested to know why you’re taking Androcur and will likely advise you that they don’t recommend self medicating, then ask if you’re aware of the risks and if you’ve experienced any side effects. Then if they’re a decent GP they’ll probably want you to book in for some blood tests to check everything’s okay.

If they’re not understanding and helpful then they’re the one with the problem, not you, and I’d suggest making an appointment with another GP.

I think it’s unlikely that they’ll tell you to stop taking Androcur - my GP never has.

Oh, and I think that it’s very unlikely that you’ll be their only patient who’s self medicating. The nurse at my GP’s practice mentioned that they’re used to seeing the guys and girls from the local gym, some of whom take / inject all sorts of stuff..!

You know what - probably nothing...

I had a bilateral orchiectomy prior to talking to my PCP (Primary Care Physician) about it. Completely blindsided him. And given that it was a done deal - blink - blink - OK, how do we proceed.

even me being transgender one endocronologyst reject to treat me. My advise is to be honest I think he will help you.

I agree with your own initial view of it, and with Shydude's response above.

To clarify how I see it, you'll likely get the talk regarding self-medication, but then you'll also have opened the door to a conversation about your physical and mental needs. The worst thing you could do is keep it a secret from your healthcare team. if they don't know, you could potentially be taking drugs that interfere in some way with other things you may be prescribed. By being honest, you can help them workout any drug interactions with other items you may take, and open the door to receiving legitimate medical assistance for your desire to control your testosterone.

I'd go in with an open mind, lay your cards on the table, and then directly ask if this is something they can help you with, and if not, can they refer you to a doctor who can. Just keep in mind if they say no to helping you themselves, it may be less their having no desire, and more their displaying and acknowledging their own limitations. I'd respect that kind of doctor because they would rather refer you to someone who has the expertise instead of having a negative impact because they do not know the answer themselves.

You're doing the right thing ultimately. Go forward, be confident, and above all else be your own best advocate.

Thanks everyone

My appointment (only an initial 10 minute consultation) is in a few weeks time, so I'll let you know what happens. I just hope I don't end up having to see lots of different specialists for my issues >.<

Im wondering if they'd supply me with Androcur.. but I guess that would only happen if I see a gender specialist and they determine I'm suitable. Although.... is blocking testosterone production something they'd ever condone or recommend?!

Bottom line; some will accept it and some won't. When I moved to where I am now, I had to get a new PCP. We discovered that my Thyroid wasn't working very well and I had what appeared to be PTSD from 30 years of playing Paramedic and all the things I saw and had to do, finally caught up with me.

About four months in, I'd gotten some Testosterone cream and had been using a bit of it since castration can contribute to depression. I finally told him one day while asking about something for my depression as I was starting to have some bad thoughts. He acted like it was okay, gave me a 30 day script for an SSRI and that was the last time I saw him or talked to him. He would not refill the script, he would not talk to me on the phone and none of his nurses would tell me why.

So I've had a different PCP for about four years into the new guy and he seems great. Got the PTSD and the depression under control but I've not directly addressed the Testosterone as I casually mentioned it one day and he told me I had too many risk factors. I did put down the Orchiectomy on my patient information form, but that's never been directly brought up.

So IMHO, all you can do is try to be very upfront which is really something you should always try to do with a Physician and see how they handle the information.