My local GP refused to prescribe my HRT, even though I transitioned many decades ago abroad

I am an immigrant to Ireland and transitioned many years ago in a foreign country. When I moved to Ireland I had stockpiled about 2 years of medication because I'm used to having to work to find a GP who is at least willing to learn about trans healthcare. I was getting low on medication and went to my local GP. I was shocked at the treatment I received.

I told her that I had transitioned many decades before and that I needed a post-operative dose of IM estradiol valerate. Instead of giving me a prescription, any prescription, for HRT that any post-menopausal woman would take, she refused and said I would have to go through the National Gender Service.

I told her the medical and mental health risks of me going off estradiol and the waitlists and she said without the NGS, she could and would do nothing. "So, let me get this right? You're willing to risk my health because the NGS hasn't evaluated me over something that happened 25 years ago?"

Her reply? "Yes"

At that point, knowing exactly the kind of treatment I'd get at the hands of the NGS, I began searching for some solution. Unable to find any source of the medication I have been on for years, I found someone who compounds the medication at a reasonable price. In her home.

So I began buying my injectables overseas and using the network of feminists who smuggled the abortion pill into Ireland in order to avail myself of a medication I've been on for close to three decades now.

I do this begrudgingly because after decades of transition, I refuse to allow my body to be gatekept by a national gender service more interested in punishing trans people than helping them.

I would like to not have to deal with this at my age. I would like to be able to go into a GP, tell them, I'm trans, here is the dosage I need of X and not have to go through the dehumanising treatment so common in Irish trans health "care". I would like the National Gender Service to actually implement an informed consent model instead of me having to repeatedly risk my health and wellbeing in order to avoid their mistreatment.

---

Please share

CW for stories that may be upsetting for trans people & their friends & family.

A member of our community shares their experience of Trans health care in Ireland #TranScribeHealth. We know they’re not alone, here they share their story with us. https://t.co/TOl81aWbk7 pic.twitter.com/HSR5Zg3dlC

— TranScribe Health Coalition (@TranScribe_IRL) December 20, 2021

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by TranScribe Health (@transcribe_irl)