Hi Andy. It’s good to see you again. What can I do for you today?
Last time we met, I think I mentioned that I came out as Nonbinary about a year ago. I’m here today because I want to talk about starting testosterone.
Of course. Like I said before, I’m really happy you took this big step and want to support you however I can. For starters, could you tell me a bit about your health goals and how you see testosterone therapy fitting into those?
Sure. Even though I just came out publicly last year, I’ve identified as Nonbinary to myself for about five years. I always knew that “girl” never quite fit for me, and after college I had this new language I could use to understand my experience. Now that I am out, I want to focus on my identity. I’ve done research on GAHT and believe that it can help me look and feel more like myself. I’m hoping it will result in a more masc presentation.
It sounds like this new understanding of yourself has been really empowering and you are hoping hormone therapy will add to that even more. I would be happy to talk about starting you on testosterone. Tell me a bit about what you know about it, the potential effects, and the risks.
I’ve done some research and I’m aware of and interested in some of the physical changes that may occur, like voice deepening, facial hair growth, and changes in muscle mass. I know testosterone does come with some risks, like acne, weight gain, and the potential for cardiovascular disease.
Sounds like you have done your homework. That’s absolutely right. The one other risk that we should be sure to discuss upfront is the impact on reproductive health. We haven’t talked much about any family planning goals you might have—if that is important to you there are fertility preservation options we can discuss.
I haven’t given that much thought…goals like that felt far off for a long time. I would be interested in getting more info so that I can consider my options.
Certainly. We can get you some information on that. So, it sounds like you understand what to expect in terms of outcomes. The next steps in the process would be for us to do a few labs to establish your current hormone levels, look for any other health conditions we would want to consider as we manage your hormone therapy. After that, we could talk about the various testosterone options available and choose one that works best for you. How does that sound?
That sounds perfect.
Great. I can order those labs today. One other consideration is the financial aspect of treatment. Do you know if your insurance plan covers gender-affirming hormone therapy?
I think they do. They list a set of requirements for pre-approval.
Good. Hormone therapy results aren’t all permanent, so it’s important to have a long-term plan for making it affordable. Let me know what you need from me to get pre-approval.
I appreciate it.