ukftm

[ukftm]

do you guys know anything about intersex people transitioning to the opposite assigned sex under the NHS? i am a pre-medical transgender male who has PCOS and possible NCAH and i have read previously that intersex people can't transition with the NHS but don't trust that information particularly because i didn't hear it from the NHS or a british intersex person. thanks!

Hi Anon,

The GICs are for anyone ‘questioning’ their gender identity. There are no rules or criteria that you must meet to be referred to your local GIC.

The role of the GIC is to help patients understand what they are feeling and to offer healthcare to alleviate the symptoms of gender dysphoria.

So I recommend you get your GP to put in a referral to your GIC and take it from there. You don’t need to provide your GP with any reason, just ask for the referral and they are obligated to put one in for you.

#transitioning

[ukftm]

Where are some good places I could talk to other ftm trans guys or transmasc non-binary people? Ive been struggling w my gender identity and feel like it could help if I could talk to someone who’s been through the same thing but don’t know anyone IRL. Also I don’t want to randomly reach out to people I don’t know to ask them potentially personal/invasive questions.

Hi,

You may find it helpful to reach out to support groups in your area. A google search should point you in the direction of what is available where you live.

If you are worried about physically going to groups, some support groups are online, so you may be able to speak to people anonymously initially, then when you are more comfortable you can turn your camera on.

Another option would be to join groups on Facebook, so you can speak to others in a safe space and ask questions there.

#trans support

[ukftm]

hi, sorry if this is a bit of a sensitive topic. i'm just wondering if you have any resources regarding accessing T through a bridging prescription in the case of harm reduction (ie: to replace obtaining T through illegal/unsafe methods).

i'm on the wait list for an NHS GIC and will be for some time, but i'm worried that my gp will refuse to offer a bridging prescription on the basis of "we havent been told to give you T so all we can say is stop taking the harmful stuff" or something like that. i've looked at transactual's page on this which says the guidelines suggest you might have to be on the waitlist for 18 weeks before they can consider a bridging prescription, and i havent been.

i know i can file complaints and theoretically change GPs, but i've had bad experiences will all GPs at my surgery (including after filing complaints), and i don't live in the catchment area of another surgery to transfer to.

Hi Anon,

Have a look through our bridging prescription posts, these provide a lot of information about this.

While some GPs are willing to help with this, it’s important to be aware that GPs are under no obligation to accept bridging prescription requests, so this leaves it up to a GPs personal choice as to whether they will prescribe you T before you see a GIC.

There is no harm in asking your GP if they would be willing to agree to a bridging prescription, but if you are already having difficulties with your GP surgery they may be reluctant to help you with this as it is such a grey area, which many GPs choose not to be helpful around.

#bridging

[ukftm]

do you guys have a masterpost or a tag for reviews of NHS top surgeons? i have to pick a surgeon soon and I don't want to go in uninformed

Hi,

We don’t have up to date posts like this. But it may be helpful if our followers can offer their experiences with the top surgeons they have had.

#top surgery

[ukftm]

Hello. I clicked your link regarding GRC but the domain is now “404”. Could you please advise how much it cost to get to grc (is it guaranteed?) and how to process? I have extreme anxiety about interviews but have been on hrt since 2015 and completed top surgery, stage 1 and hysto and living as male since 2014

Hi Anon,

I have attached a link which provides all the information you’ll need to apply for a GRC.

There is no interview for a GRC. You will need to provide them with as much documentation as you can to prove that you have lived in your chosen gender for 2 years.

The application fee has been reduced dramatically and is now £5. If you want a new birth certificate after receiving your GRC, this will be an additional fee, but you will be provided with this information after receiving your GRC.

The only reason you would be rejected for a GRC would be if you cannot provide proof that you have lived experience for two years or if you do not provide the correct information within the timeframe they will give you. However, they are very helpful and if you do not provide what they need they will write to you to ask for more information.

My advice when applying for a GRC is that it is better to provide more information than not enough, as it will just take more time and money to send extra documentation to them. Getting the two reports back from your GIC and GP can take some time and a lot of chasing up and you may also be charged for each report.

Always send your application/documents recorded delivery as you will be sending original documents.

#GRC

[ukftm]

don't suppose anyone has experience of top surgery, good or bad, with the centre for surgery in london?

Can any of our followers offer their experience?

#top surgery

[ukftm]

URGENT: I may have to reschedule an appointment with Nottingham GIC. Does this mean I'll have to wait a while again until I'm offered one? I'm staying elsewhere temporarily and am not comfortable taking the appointment here. From what I can remember the date on the letter for the appointment was a few months from when I actually got the letter.

Hi Anon,

We would always recommend (where possible) that you try to take the appointments you are offered by your GIC, as you could be waiting a while before being offered another one.

Try to give them a phone and see if they can give you another appointment, if they can’t give you one or an estimate of how long you may be waiting, this may help you decide whether you want to take the chance of being put back on the waiting list for another appointment.

#Nottingham

[ukftm]

Hello! So bc of all the recent nhs and cass report nonsense I'm looking to get a GRC, and was wondering if anyone knew the best way for getting the statutory declaration signed/witnessed? I've never had to have an actual legal person involved in paperwork before and have no idea where to start ;; That and getting a copy of my birth certificate comfirmed/certified, so if anyone knows how and/or the price solicitors may charge for all this, it'd be much appreciated!

Hi Anon,

If you have a look through our GRC and name change posts, you will find all of the information you need, along with links.

#grc #name change

[ukftm]

this is for whoever asked about joining the army, if you’re on this blog then i’m assuming you’re talking about the british army. Under the assumption that you are going to be out and open i can’t promise that you won’t face some level of scrutiny from others (but that’s the same wherever you go in any workplace) but the army has changed a lot in the past few years and are a lot more inclusive. They have welfare and lgbt officers ect. where you could go if you ever face any issues. Being trans should never hold you back from your aspirations, do what you want. People can cry about it if they want lol.

Thanks for sharing.

[ukftm]

URGENT: How do I officially file a complaint with Nottingham GIC? All I see on the website is that form for submitting feedback but I have very specific issues I need to address with them.

Hi Anon,

You can either phone or email your GIC and ask for their specific complaints procedure. They’ll no doubt have a complaints email, which most don’t publicise, so you’ll just need to ask them for this.

You can also email your local NHS board to raise a complaint. They should have a complaints email address on their website.

#nottingham

[ukftm]

does anyone know how expensive getting phallo privately in the uk is or how long it took? Or just any experience with them in general would be appreciated

Hi Anon,

For private phallo in the UK you will be looking at £50,000+.

Each stage would be paid for individually. But as St Peter’s do not do payment plans, you would have to pay the full price for each stage before your surgery dates could be arranged. So for example, rff phallo stage 1 is estimated at £35,000 so you would have to send St Peter’s the full amount before they would consider offering you a date.

You would also have to have extra money for consults which are £200+ as well as for any unforeseen repair surgery being required.

We do not have waiting times for private surgery but you can email a surgeons office to get an estimate. But going private would be a fraction of the 8+ years wait for a first bottom surgery consult on the NHS.

So if you have the money, private is a great option to get you through your stages in 1-2years instead of having to wait the 10+ years you’d be looking at on the NHS.

#private #phalloplasty

[ukftm]

Do you have any statistics/facts on the risks associated with non-VPP phalloplasty? I want it because of severe dysphoria, but I'm uncertain due to the risks I've heard of, I'd like to know all information available to me.

Hi Anon,

It’s important to realise that complications rates for all bottom surgeries are very high, with complication rates varying for the individual procedures involved.

For example, a study in 2022 on phalloplasty procedure complication rates found:

An overall complication rate in their participants was as high as 76.5%, of which urethral complications were highest (urethral fistula rate of 34.1% and urethral stricture rate of 25.4%).

Another study in 2018 for phallo complication rates found:

A urethral complication rate of 39%

RF Flap complication rate 11%

From feedback we receive from guys going through bottom surgery and our own experiences more recently, complication rates are reported at around 50%> with most being urethral/bladder complications.

While studies present differing complication rates, it is important to realise that it is better to go into each bottom surgery stage with the expectation that there will be some level of complication, some are more serious than others.

While most can be fixed during your next stage, some may need a surgery on their own, which adds extra stages to your journey. So something to also bare in mind is that a large majority of guys require more than the 3 stages they expect to have their bottom surgeries completed in. But during your consult with your surgeon you will discuss complications and what to expect.

While this is the reality of bottom surgery complication rates and some will decide it is not worth the risk for them, MANY report that despite having experienced complications along the way, the end result has been worth the risk for them.

Deciding whether to have bottom surgery is a serious decision and one that only you can decide whether you want to proceed. So we recommend discussing all concerns that you may have with your surgeon during your consultations. Also, talking to other trans guys who are currently going through surgery can be really helpful.

#phalloplasty #metoidioplasty

[ukftm]

this is probably weird but i'm asking for some advice bcus i'm a closeted trans guy who plans on joining the military but i'm worried that this will cause a riff between me and other trans people. i dont have any IRL trans friends but from what i've seen online a lot of trans people seem to view the military negatively and i'm scared i'm going to have to choose between joining the military or having trans friend who can support me. do u think this will be a genuine problem or am i overreacting?

Hi Anon,

If you want to be in the military then that is entirely your choice.

People will always have options about things and disagree with each other, but you cannot let that effect the choices you make.

If you have friends or start making friends and they do not want to your friend because of something you want to do, then the question you want to ask yourself is, do you want conditional friendships?

Friends will come and go, but if there is something you want to do, you cannot allow others to dictate things to you.

Being trans is a hard enough life without then putting further restrictions in your way due to other peoples opinions.

[ukftm]

I have my pre op appointment for a hysterectomy soon but am passing cis so not sure what to say when telling people who don't know I'm trans that I'm having surgery and why I won't be able to be active for a while. Do you know of any alternative surgery's I could say I'm having instead so that I'm not outing myself? Thank you!

Hi Anon,

The first thing to consider is whether you have to tell people anything at all. If you are working, you don’t have to tell your employer what surgery you are having or tell the people you work with that you are having any surgery at all. So while you will need to take time off work, you don’t actually have to tell people why and you can tell your employer that the fact you are having surgery, has to be kept totally confidential.

If it is other people, you can either say you are having private surgery and you don’t want to talk about it or you can say something like I’m just having a small corrective surgery or a quick op, which can help to just stop any further questioning.

Sometimes it’s easier to not commit to coming up with a specific surgery as the ‘lie’ can end up getting complicated, whereas if you just put across that it’s private, that saves you having to come up with anything else.

#hysto

[ukftm]

I'm on the extended pathway waiting list with Nottingham and it's been 8 months since my last appointment (my 2nd one). I can't find jack about it on the website about waiting times. Does anyone know anything or can at least provide a ballpark figure from the clinics they're with?

Can any of our followers provide info on how long they have waiting between 1st and 2nd appointments with their GICs?

#waiting times

[ukftm]

I’d like to get a tattoo soon but I’m getting top surgery at some point this year and it could be at short notice - would healing from a tattoo (on arms, not chest area) impede surgery or recovery at all?

Hi Anon,

This should not cause an issue. Although you are best to discuss this with your surgeons team, as each surgeon has different requirements.

With any surgery, one of a surgeon’s biggest concerns will be infection control. So if you have a brand new, still healing tattoo, your surgeon may be unwilling to operate incase of infection, even if this is on a different area of your body.

So it’s best to check with your surgeon and follow their own guidelines.

#top surgery

[ukftm]

Just in case anyone was wondering about what their journey could look like, here's a timeline of mine, hope it helps.

Original referral from GP to GIC: 2019

1st appointment with East of England Clinic: 2022

I had 3 or 4 appointments with the clinic. 1st two were to confirm that I am indeed trans and next one/two were to talk about top surgery more specifically. (I said from the start my main goal is TS and I wanted this before anything else, including hormones. There was no backlash from them about this.)

I was sent a list of surgeons and I chose my preferred surgeon: April 2023, Mr Andrew Mellington

I received a letter saying the referral to Mellington had been sent August 2023

Received a call from Mellington's team to book a consultation with him: early January 2024

Consultation: Late February 2024

I have just received confirmation that TS date is to be discussed/offered 4 weeks after consultation (originally I thought it would be up to 2 weeks after consult). So I've got another 2 weeks to go to find out when the date of the surgery might actually be!

Excited and nervous. 5 years of waiting and it's now real.

If anyone has any questions, I'm happy to share info (here or private message).

Thanks for sharing.

#top surgery