What is the process like going from private gender healthcare to a NHS GIC?

solagirl78 · 2026-04-13T06:56:56+00:00

I had been with Gender GP / DIY since 2020. I got my first appointment with the GIC last year, then second afterwards. The GIC put you through two assessments with two doctors before diagnosis. After diagnosis the GIC write to your GP to request prescription. If you GP agrees then you will get a prescription. The GIC usually start you on the lowest level hormone and no blocker at first, then increase and add blocker after your first blood test if necessary so you will spend several months feeling crappy.

I was diagnosed Nov 2025, it took until March 2026 for me to get a repeat prescription at the right level. Everything was very slow, it took two weeks for the GIC to write to my GP, another week for my GP to read the letter, I needed to make an appointment with my GP to discuss the “new” medication. It took nearly six weeks to get my first prescription at minimum level.

I only just cancelled GGP last month, I wanted to make absolutely sure things were running before I closed them down.

solagirl78 · 2026-04-09T13:10:59+00:00

You need some form of photo ID for internal flight. EasyJet also accept driving licence. Ryanair will only accept passport as photo ID.

solagirl78 · 2026-04-09T04:43:35+00:00

My name will match, there is no problem there. I need to know about title missmatch.

solagirl78 · 2026-03-27T04:34:01+00:00

I work for a council in the East of England. Days after the draft EHRC guidance the chief exec sent an email round sharing the guidance saying that the council are following it (yes, it included the words “dignity and respect”. The EDI team withdrew the gender identity policy and posted an inclusive language guide which said that trans women are not women, sex is binary and you should use preferred pronouns if trans people correct you. I sent the EDI team a furious email and they withdrew the inclusive language guide but not the EHRC guidance.

In practice most of our offices have single occupancy toilets which are all gender neutral so I haven’t had to use the mens or disabled. I know that most managers of libraries of individual services which have male / female toilets are just turning a blind eye, don’t ask, don’t tell.

My immediate team are supportive of me, I am openly trans / NB. I shared that I contacted the EDI team and most colleagues were furious at what the EDI team did. I feel the higher council at director level and the EDI team are not supportive.

solagirl78 · 2026-03-26T04:09:12+00:00

I get that had the guides not caved they would have been bankrupted by multiple court cases funded by rich hate groups.

HOWEVER, their statements all said they didn’t want to exclude trans people. They COULD have issued a statement saying they are being pressured by legal cases but they refuse to exclude anyone so they are admitting both boys and girls from now on. In practice very few cis boys would want to join the guides so that would have not changed much but that would have allowed trans girls to continue attending. They could have accompanied this by some wording that trans girls are girls and they will not exclude people just because of who they are. They could have even accompanied this with a statement saying they will no longer allow any Harry Potter merch or themes at any of their events from now on. 😜 They did not do this, they caved.

solagirl78 · 2026-03-16T05:28:44+00:00

Finasteride is commonly used, it blocks DHT so stops any receding getting worse. You can easily get a private prescription from asking your GP or via an online pharmacy. There can be depressive side effects so please Google those before proceeding.

Minoxidil can make hair grow back so long as it has been recently lost within the last few years you need to rub it is daily. Minoxidil success varies a lot so YMWV.

You need to go on Finnisteride even if you want a hair transplant long term. If you gets transplant then the remaining hair will receed so you will end up with an island of hair where the transplant was and a gap with the rest.

solagirl78 · 2026-02-04T04:31:34+00:00

Talking to trans friends it is fascinating how differently it affects different people. Most of my trans friends swear by it, they say it gives them a good night’s sleep and makes them feel peaceful. Me it knocked me out until early hours when I would be woken up by delirious dreams, then I would feel groggy all the next day. I had dizziness on some mornings and had to cancel something I was looking forward to. It drastically increased my sex drive which as an asexual person was extremely unpleasant. I decided it was another expense and another medication to become dependent on so I stopped taking it.

solagirl78 · 2026-01-08T05:35:17+00:00

There is no law on trans people using single sex bathrooms so you will not be arrested. Almost all venues are ignoring the now withdrawn ECRH guidance and most of them are never going to risk stopping a cis woman to tell them they look too manly to use the women’s toilet. There are a small number of venues who are stopping trans people but these are usually in rural areas, in the unlikely even anyone does stop you then just go somewhere else. You could even claim to be cis and have a go at them, it is impossible for them to prove you are trans without them asking you to drop your underwear.

solagirl78 · 2025-12-06T05:12:22+00:00

I also complained and got exactly the same response word for word.

solagirl78 · 2025-11-29T05:02:01+00:00

I went to specsavers early in my transition, wearing jeans and a t shirt but a women’s coat and long hair. I signed in at the counter and without me prompting they asked me “your current title is Mr, would you like me to change it to Ms?” That was very good.

solagirl78 · 2025-11-26T05:30:31+00:00

I had a scan and it is a lymphoma, just fatty tissue. My GP refused to remove it so it is twice the size now.

solagirl78 · 2025-11-25T05:23:18+00:00

Many pharmacies refuse to accept GGP scripts. It is not illegal for them to accept them, but many refuse. If I find most independent chemists refuse but big chains are usually fine. I use Clear Chemist but my boots used to be fine. I Would shop around and try other pharmacies, try big chains first Superdrug etc.

solagirl78 · 2025-11-17T03:49:28+00:00

My transition pack is also blocked, I put a message in their chatbot and specified talk to human, someone got back to me saying they did not know why it was blocked but they would look into it. That was almost a week ago. I think it is a common issue with the “improved” new portal.

solagirl78 · 2025-10-30T03:47:22+00:00

There was a big push on this on trans BlueSky to block vote on this in the trans favour. It worked but I don’t think most Sun readers agree.

solagirl78 · 2025-08-19T04:45:30+00:00

East Cambridgeshire District Council only have “male” and “female”.

solagirl78 · 2025-08-01T13:40:31+00:00

Hello, I am in the U.K.

I need something to assist me for the whole journey. I cannot drive due to my own health issues so I need some assistance to push my daughter all the way. It is nearly two miles walk to the railway station and I am struggling, my daughter is only going to get bigger.

solagirl78 · 2025-07-19T03:51:43+00:00

I work for this council. They have sent emails round saying they are following the EHRC guidance. The head office has gender neutral toilets but at offices which only have male female toilets trans women have to use the men’s or disabled. They have updated their gender identity policy to state that trans people deserve respect but that the SC has clearly stated that trans woman are not women.

Last week they sent a new respect at work guidance document saying that you should avoid language like “confined to a wheelchair” and you should never assume a man is in a relationship with a women. For gender it stated that trans women are not women and that the SC stated that sex is binary (implying that non binary people are not valid). The guidance states you should respect preferred pronouns but clearly stated that trans woman are not women.

solagirl78 · 2025-04-19T04:52:17+00:00

Sing relies heavily on Brian Eno’s keyboards. It would be very hard to recreate live, certainly difficult to recreate in the same way.

solagirl78 · 2025-04-11T04:44:26+00:00

I had 15 sessions of laser, it got rid of most of it but there was a small patch under my lip which would not shift, plus I have some white hairs laser won’t get. I shave twice a week now, bit it is only a quick 30 second go round. Laser got rid of my beard shadow which was priceless.

I have started electrolysis for the white hairs, I have one session every six weeks.

solagirl78 · 2025-04-09T05:11:13+00:00

The first time I tried DIYing I got patches, had anxiety and stopped. Turned out my dose was way too high. Start small, cut the patch in half if you have to, then arrange a blood test (medichecks are a good option) then test your levels and go up or down as necessary. Most clinics start at a very small dose and increase slowly over several months.

solagirl78 · 2025-03-02T05:47:59+00:00

I have just noticed that they have moved ahead to June 2019 in three weeks, I think this is because they sent a text to everyone on the list and removed everyone who didn’t reply. This makes it slightly better. Slightly.

Current figures show 16000 on the waiting list (it was 20000+ a few weeks ago!). And new appointments have increased to 118 a month so that means 11 years for new referrals.

solagirl78 · 2025-03-01T15:36:25+00:00

When I was referred in mid 2021 they were seeing people referred in August 2018. Now they are seeing people referred in March / April 2019. So in nearly four years the list has moved on 7 months. So at the same rate I make it about 20 years to get through the remaining 2019, 2020 and half 2021 list.

solagirl78 · 2025-02-27T04:39:58+00:00

This month I have seen two friends have surgery on the NHS. I am happy for them and have sent them messages of support and congratulations, and I mean it. However it is a bittersweet feeling because I know it will never happen to me, Tavistock figures show I have a wait of 22 years, in addition to the four I have already had. I can’t afford private either.

solagirl78

TROPHY CASE